¡Hola amigos! This week, Mexico sends Navy special forces to Mississippi for training, reinstates fuel tax incentives as costs climb, and, take a deep breath, makes big moves to go cashless.

Plus, who actually decides where you go in a medical emergency, what to do if your residency card expires, and what’s really going on with Sheinbaum’s “Plan B” electoral reform.

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❓México Trivia

Which museum in Mexico City receives visitors from around the world, but isn’t open to the public without special military approval?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

📣 México News Roundup

🔥 Mexico’s Senate approved sending 60 Navy special forces members to the U.S. for training in Mississippi.

⚡ Mexico and Canada are working to expand cooperation in energy and joint projects focused on sustainable development under USMCA. 

🏗️ Mexico moves to impose tariffs on steel from China and Vietnam. 

💳 Mexico plans to make digital payments mandatory at gas stations and highway tolls in 2026 as part of a push to reduce cash use.

🚗 President Sheinbaum said Mexico is pushing for zero tariffs on auto industry steel and aluminum ahead of USMCA talks to restore pre tariff trade conditions.

🚕 After taxi protests last week, Mexico City’s airport opened a new pickup zone for Uber and DiDi about an 8 minute walk from terminals to ease tensions. 

⛽ Mexico reinstated fuel tax incentives last Friday as regular (Magna) gasoline prices remained relatively stable while diesel and premium continued to rise.

🦖 Scientists in northern Mexico identified a new species, a 6 meter apex marine predator with powerful jaws that ruled the oceans 70 million years ago.

🏥 Mexico fined major oxygen suppliers nearly MX$800 million for using exclusive hospital contracts that blocked competition and drove up costs.

🍎 Your Health Pulse

Who Decides Where You Go in a Medical Emergency?

Medical evacuation can be a lot more complicated than most people realize.

It’s not just about cost – it’s about who decides where you go, how far you’re transported, and what your coverage actually includes.

Many policies only move you to the nearest suitable hospital, not necessarily where you’d choose to receive care. And that’s where the fine print starts to matter.

This guide breaks down the most common questions — from what’s covered (and what’s not) to who needs this type of protection.

Before you assume you’re covered, it’s worth a closer look.

Read more 

📍Immigration Essentials

Expired Residency Card? Here’s What to Do

If your Mexico residency card expires, what you can do next depends on a few key factors and how quickly you act.

If you’re inside Mexico, less than 55 days have passed since expiration, and you have under 4 years of temporary residency, you may be able to reapply at an INM office. This is not a simple renewal…you’ll need to re-prove income and resubmit supporting documents (apostilled and translated into Spanish).

If you’re outside Mexico, within 55 days of expiration, and have under 4 years of temporary residency, you may be able to renew your card.

If you re-enter Mexico with an expired card, you may be able to renew only if:

• You have under 4 years of temporary residency

• You go to INM within 5 days of your arrival date

Two key situations where renewal is not possible:

• More than 55 days have passed since your card expired

• You have already accumulated 4 years of temporary residency. In this case, not only can you not renew, but you also cannot apply to exchange the expired card for Permanent Residency.

In either case, you generally must restart the residency process, typically through a Mexican consulate abroad – unless you qualify under family unit rules.

Deadlines are strict, and options narrow quickly once they pass.

🧩 Life in México

What’s Going On with Plan B Electoral Reform?

On March 11, President Claudia Sheinbaum’s proposed constitutional electoral reform failed in Congress after falling short of the required two-thirds majority.

In response, her administration quickly introduced an alternative: Plan B. 

Unlike the original proposal, Plan B avoids constitutional changes and instead seeks to modify secondary laws, which only require a simple majority to pass – a threshold the Morena-led coalition can meet.

What’s Included in Plan B?

The reform focuses on reducing costs and restructuring parts of Mexico’s electoral system, including:

• Salary caps for party leaders and top electoral officials, tied to the presidential salary

• Broad budget reductions, including cuts to the INE, the Senate, and state legislatures

• Changes to local governments, including reducing the number of municipal council members (regidores)

• Expanded oversight of campaign financing and investigation of suspicious contributions

• Expansion of the timeframe citizens can request a recall referendum for the sitting president or state governors

Why It’s Raising Concerns

The government has framed these changes as part of a broader push for “austerity” and more participatory democracy.

Critics, including business groups, electoral experts, and opposition parties, argue the reform could weaken electoral institutions, create uncertainty, and raise concerns about its implementation. The use of secondary laws to enact these changes has also raised concerns about the integrity of Mexico’s constitutional framework.

PAN senator Ricardo Anaya said the proposal “does not serve the country,” and called key provisions on recall elections “deceptive.”

Others have gone further, describing the reform as a “democratic regression” that could tilt the system in favor of the ruling party.

Where Plan B Stands Right Now

As of March 23, Plan B is stalled in the Senate.

The delay is significant. Any electoral reform must be approved by May 30, 2026, to be applied to the 2027 elections.

The main issue holding it up is a technical flaw in the draft related to municipal council members (regidores). The current language could unintentionally increase the number of local officials in some municipalities, contradicting the reform’s goal of reducing costs.

Even Morena Senate Coordinator Ignacio Mier acknowledged the issue, noting it could conflict with the principle of “republican austerity.”

Lawmakers have paused discussions to revise the language and incorporate feedback from the National Electoral Institute (INE), while divisions within the ruling coalition continue to complicate the path forward.

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🇲🇽 Viva México

The Timeless Ritual of El Paseo

For generations, Sunday afternoons in Mexico followed a familiar rhythm. They called it dar la vuelta, which means “to go around.”

It was all part of el paseo – the tradition of strolling for its own sake.

Walking not to exercise or get somewhere, but to wander with family, linger with a novio/a, and take part in the timeless art of people watching.

Dar la vuelta found its stage in the central plazas across Mexico. Most were anchored by an elaborate kiosk and became the social heart of the community.

Every Sunday after Mass, musicians played from the kiosk, and the circuit began: young women circled in one direction, young men in the opposite.

Girls typically participated in el paseo after their quinceañera, marking their formal entrance into social life and courtship.

Every lap offered a chance for connection. If a man liked the look of a woman coming the other way, he wouldn’t stop to talk; instead, he might offer her a flower.

If the woman was still holding the flower when they passed again, it was a match, and they would fall into step – walking together on the same side.

Despite the romantic nature of the exchange, el paseo remained a highly supervised event. Interactions unfolded in full view of extended families and the rest of the village, ensuring that social norms and chivalric codes were carefully observed.

In Jalisco, dar le vuelta carried an extra layer of mischief…young men might crack a cascarón, an eggshell filled with confetti, over a woman’s head. A bold move, but a smile made it worth the risk.

While the tradition has become less formal over time, it never disappeared. Plazas and parks across Mexico remain vital hubs for social gathering and romantic strolls, continuing the legacy of a tradition that has shaped Mexican courtship for generations.

Linguistically, the tradition has even left its mark. It is widely believed that the common Mexican Spanish phrase andar con – literally “to walk with” – meaning “to date someone,” comes directly from couples walking together during el paseo.

🪷 Viva Wellness

Herba Mora: The Devil's Tomato

Roadside hierba mora may look like a tiny green tomato, but its nickname, tomatillos del diablo (devil’s tomatoes), is your first clue not to toss it raw into a salsa.

A member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), this wild plant walks a fine line between remedy and risk. The green, unripe berries contain natural toxins, while the fully ripe black berries and tender young leaves have long been used carefully in traditional cooking and medicine.

Botanists distinguish several closely related species, including Solanum nigrescens in Mexico’s highlands and Solanum americanum in more tropical regions. Shared uses and precautions have been passed down through generations.

Taken as a tea on an empty stomach, the leaves soothe stomach inflammation. Crushed with lemon, they become a poultice for wounds, rashes, and irritated skin. 

Leaves are also steeped for baths to bring down fevers. Healers use the whole plant for warm chest compresses for pneumonia. The berry juice with lime is traditionally taken for fever and stomach complaints.

But like many plants in the nightshade family, its power comes with a warning. 

The same compounds that give it medicinal edge can also be toxic, especially when consumed improperly or before fully ripened.

Only when hierba mora berries ripen to a deep, inky black do they become safe to eat. Simmered with piloncillo and canela, the fruit can be transformed into a dark, syrupy, earthy jam, somewhere between wild plum and a savory tomato reduction.

🎉 ¡Vamos! Events

Semana Santa Starts This Sunday
Holy Week is here with processions, Passion Plays, and traditions taking over towns across Mexico. Don’t miss our guide to the 10 best places to experience it.

Aqüifera: Festival del Bosque – April 2–5, Chapultepec, CDMX 
Held in Chapultepec Forest, this environmental and cultural festival returns with a focus on water and its role in Mexico’s culture, featuring artistic exhibitions and cultural, educational, and recreational activities. More info here.

Festival Tabasco 2026 – April 4–5, Mexico City
Experience the flavors and traditions of Tabasco at Los Pinos in Chapultepec, with traditional dishes, music, dance, artisans, and cultural activities led by more than 100 participants from the region. Free entry. More info here.

Feria de la Primavera y de la Paz 2026 – April 5–12, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas
San Cristóbal’s biggest annual celebration returns for its 156th edition, bringing together artisans, food vendors, amusement rides, and cultural festivities at the city’s fairgrounds. A long-standing tradition dating back to 1868, the fair runs for a week of local culture and entertainment. More info here.

Archery World Cup Stage 2026 – April 7–12, Puebla, Puebla
For the first time, Mexico hosts a stage of the Archery World Cup Series, bringing 300 of the world’s top athletes to Puebla for international competition in recurve and compound events. Part of a global circuit alongside cities like Shanghai, Antalya, and Madrid. More info here.

Semana Internacional de la Moto – Apr 8–11, Mazatlán, Sinaloa
Considered the most important motorcycle event in Mexico and Latin America, this four-day rally brings 25,000+ motorcyclists to Mazatlán for concerts, the massive biker parade, parties, races, and gatherings across the city, with major programming at the Mazatlán International Center. More info here.

Guanajuato Medieval Festival 2026 – April 10–12, Guanajuato
Step into the Middle Ages at this open-air festival at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, featuring medieval music, performances, artisans, and cultural activities celebrating life from the 5th to 15th centuries. Free entry. More info here.

💡 Say It in Spanish

Ahorita vemos
Translation: We’ll see in a moment.

This is one of those phrases that doesn’t mean exactly what it says.

You’ll hear it when something is… undecided. Not a yes. Not a no. Just somewhere in between.

• ¿Vamos a cenar afuera?
  Ahorita vemos.

• ¿Arreglamos eso hoy?
  Ahorita vemos.

Sometimes it means “in a bit.” Sometimes it means “maybe.” And sometimes it quietly means “probably not.”

🎯 Trivia Answer

Museo del Enervante (often called the “Narco Museum”)

Located inside Mexico’s Ministry of National Defense, the headquarters of the Mexican army, this is a highly restricted museum.

It is not open to the general public. Access requires an application and approval from military authorities, and even journalists and researchers must request permission to enter.

It gets its unofficial nickname because it houses items seized during anti-drug operations, collected by the military over decades.

The museum began in 1986 as a training space to educate military personnel and students of criminology, law, and psychology about drug production, cultivation, and trafficking. In 2002, it became a museum as the collection of weapons and confiscated items grew, expanding into multiple rooms over time.

According to officials, its purpose is not to sensationalize, but to serve as an educational tool and a record of how drug trafficking has evolved – and the role of the Mexican Army in responding to it.

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