¡Hola amigos! This week, insecurity tops the charts in a new survey, Mexico’s military is rolling out drones to counter cartels, and Trump’s new tariffs take aim at Mexico’s truck exports.

We’re also tracking fresh clashes over medicine shortages and a jump in cargo theft. Plus: proof-of-address is now being requested in some residency filings, and starting tomorrow Mexican banks will enforce new limits on electronic transfers.

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❓México Trivia

What winged animal makes tequila and mezcal possible? 

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

📣 Qué Paso

🚨 Mexico's National Survey on Victimization and Perceptions of Public Security 2025 shows insecurity remains the #1 concern for 64.2% of Mexicans, well above unemployment or inflation. Trust is lowest in local police and prosecutors, while the Navy and Army earned the highest confidence ratings. 

🚁 Mexico’s armed forces are fast-tracking domestic drone development to cut dependence on foreign suppliers and counter the growing use of drones by organized crime. A prototype created with the Universidad Aeronáutica en Querétaro is set to fly this year, with mass production planned for 2026. (Well, this is terrifying).

🚛 President Trump announced new tariffs starting October 1, which include a 25% levy on imported heavy-duty trucks – a major hit for Mexico, the largest exporter of mid- and heavy-duty trucks to the U.S.

💊 Mexico’s pharmaceutical industry pushed back on President Sheinbaum’s claim that companies were to blame for ongoing medicine delays. Industry leaders point instead to MX$40 billion in unpaid government debts and bottlenecks at state-run Birmex warehouses. (In case you missed it, we covered the medicine crisis a few weeks back). 

🚚 Cargo theft in Mexico rose 6.1% in August 2025, according to SESNSP. The State of Mexico led with 247 cases (up nearly 25% from July), while Oaxaca saw the sharpest rise at 133%. Thieves are also getting bolder, using fake checkpoints, spike strips, and nighttime ambushes to stop drivers. See which highways made the high-risk list.

🛑 The U.S. and Mexico held the first meeting of the Security Implementation Group in McAllen, Texas, and launched Mission Firewall, a new binational effort to curb cross-border gun trafficking. The initiative expands Mexico’s use of U.S. tracing tools like eTrace and ballistic imaging to all 32 states, boosts information-sharing, and increases joint inspections and prosecutions.

🚗 Good news if you’re driving electric in Mexico: Soriana and FAZT just opened two new ultra-fast EV charging stations in Monterrey, with plans to install 1,000 nationwide by 2030.

🔥 Last week, protesters rammed the gates of a Mexico City military base with a truck and set it on fire, demanding justice for the 43 Ayotzinapa students who disappeared in 2014. The demonstration came on the eve of the 11th anniversary of their disappearance.

⚡ Despite the president saying power was restored to the Yucatán Peninsula, parts of Mérida remain without electricity after last week’s blackout. Residents have blocked streets to demand CFE fix outages that have stretched on for days.

🌽 Mexico City opened its first seed bank to preserve nine native corn varieties, which represent 14% of the country’s genetic diversity.

✈️ Breeze Airways will launch new winter routes from Cancún to four U.S. cities in early 2026. Saturday-only flights will start January 10 from Norfolk, Virginia, followed by Charleston on January 17, New Orleans on February 7, and Providence on February 14.

🍎 Your Health Pulse

Is Catastrophic Health Insurance in Mexico Worth It?

Let’s be real: Most of us didn’t move to Mexico dreaming about hospital stays. But one major accident or diagnosis can wipe out a lifetime of savings — fast.

That’s where catastrophic health insurance comes in.

It won’t cover your routine checkups or prescriptions. What it does cover is the big stuff: surgeries, hospitalizations, and medical emergencies — the kinds of things you hope never happen, but should definitely plan for.

And the best part? It may be more affordable than you’d expect. Read more here.

Health insurance in Mexico doesn’t have to be confusing.

Skip the endless searching and connect directly with a vetted broker who can match coverage to your needs. Peace of mind starts with the right policy.

Find your broker today.

📍Immigration Essentials

Residency Filings: Proof of Address Now Being Requested

If you’re applying for or renewing residency in Mexico, there’s a new wrinkle to be aware of: some immigration offices — including Oaxaca and Quintana Roo — are now routinely asking for proof of a Mexican address.

Until recently, proof of address was only requested in unusual cases. Now, it’s becoming standard in certain offices for procedures like exchanging a visa for a residency card, renewing a card, moving from temporary to permanent status, or even reporting a change of address.

Acceptable documents include a recent electricity, water, or landline bill; a notarized rental contract; or a Mexican bank statement in your name.

This isn’t a change in federal law — it’s a local practice that some offices have begun to enforce. And because INM procedures vary, you may be asked in one office but not in another.

If you’re planning a filing soon, bring proof of address with you to avoid delays.

Read the full update here.

🧩 Life in México

New MTU Banking Rule Takes Effect October 1

Starting October 1, 2025, all banks in Mexico will begin enforcing a new regulation requiring account holders to set a User Transactional Limit (MTU) for electronic transfers.

The MTU is a customizable daily transfer cap that applies to digital transactions, including SPEI, CoDi, DIMO, bill payments, and credit card payments. The rule was established by the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) through an amendment to the Circular Única de Bancos on August 30, 2025.

This measure aims to strengthen transaction security, particularly against banking fraud. 

If customers do not configure their MTU before the September 30 deadline, banks will apply a default daily limit of 1,500 UDIs – equivalent to approximately $12,500 MXN. This could result in rejected transfers, including payroll, rent, and tuition payments.

To set the MTU, users must log in to their bank’s app or online banking, locate the “Transfer Limit” or “MTU” option, and authenticate the new limit via token or two-factor verification. The process typically takes only a few minutes.

Read more here.

🇲🇽 Viva México

Mexico’s Legacy: The Birthplace of Print in the Americas

In 1539, less than two decades after the Spanish conquest, a quiet revolution began inside a stone building on the corner of Moneda and Licenciado Verdad in Mexico City.

A printer named Juan Pablos — born Giovanni Paoli — arrived and set up the first printing press in the New World. Working under Seville-based publisher Juan Cromberger and supported by the first archbishop of Mexico, he established a workshop known as the Casa de la Primera Imprenta de América.

Early publications were printed in both Spanish and Nahuatl, making this one of the first presses to document and preserve Indigenous languages. The earliest known title, Breve y más compendiosa doctrina Christiana, was bilingual. Unfortunately, no copies survive.

The first surviving book, Doctrina breve muy provechosa (1543–44), also by Archbishop Zumárraga, still exists today, though it was controversially banned by the Church in 1559 for being too progressive.

In 1555, Juan Pablos edited Vocabulario en lengua castellana y Mexicana by Alonso de Molina – the first dictionary ever printed in the Americas and the first of any kind in the New World. This bilingual Spanish-Nahuatl dictionary became a cornerstone of intercultural communication and Mexican print culture.

Today, the original site still stands. It now houses the Continuing Education Center for the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana and the Museo del Libro, where visitors can explore early printed texts, exhibitions, and the legacy of Mexico’s literary heritage.

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🪷 Viva Wellness

The Mexican Market Herb Worth Knowing

If you’ve ever wandered a Mexican market and spotted bundles of herbs with soft, velvety leaves and tall yellow flower spikes, you’ve likely found gordolobo – the local name for Mexican mullein (Verbascum thapsus).

(In some parts of Mexico “gordolobo” may also refer to other plants, but here we’re talking about mullein.)

Gordolobo has long been a staple in Indigenous and rural remedies. Brewed as a tea, it’s prized for soothing respiratory issues like bronchitis, coughs, and colds. It eases congestion and calms inflamed lungs.

But its uses go beyond coughs and sniffles.

Suffer from stomach cramps or la venganza de Moctezuma (traveler’s diarrhea)? Gordolobo tea has long been used to calm digestive distress naturally.

Beyond its internal benefits, this tea offers external comfort. The same soft, velvety leaves that create such a gentle drink can be applied as a poultice to shrink hemorrhoids and soothe inflammation.

To make gordolobo tea, just steep a few pinches in hot water for 10 minutes. Strain it very well as the fine hairs can irritate the throat. For extra flavor and healing power, it’s often blended with herbs like eucalyptus, thyme, or a squeeze of lime.

Also, keep in mind: because safety data is limited, it’s best to skip internal use during pregnancy or breastfeeding

🎉 ¡Vamos! Events

🏁 La Carrera Panamericana – October 9–16, Across Mexico 
Now in its 38th edition and marking 75 years since the first race, La Carrera Panamericana runs eight days on closed public roads, covering just over 4,000 km across Mexico. The 2025 route: Tuxtla Gutiérrez → Oaxaca → Puebla → Mexico City → Querétaro → Morelia → Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí → Zacatecas. Check stage maps and the official schedule for exact viewing spots and times. More info here.

🎭 Festival Internacional Cervantino – October 10–26, Guanajuato City
The “Fiesta del Espíritu” returns for its 53rd edition, transforming Guanajuato into a world stage with 140 shows and 3,400 artists from 31 countries. This year’s guests of honor are the United Kingdom and Veracruz, bringing everything from punk and pop to son jarocho, marimbas, and danzones. More info here.

🍴 Vallarta Nayarit Gastronómica 2025 – October 12–19, Paradise Village, Nuevo Vallarta 
Now in its 17th year, Vallarta Nayarit Gastronómica returns with a week of world-class food experiences on the shores of Banderas Bay. Hosted at Paradise Village Resort & Spa, the event features Michelin-star chefs, mixologists, sommeliers, and culinary innovators from Mexico and abroad. More info here.

⛪ Romería de la Virgen de Zapopan – October 12, Zapopan, Jalisco 
Every October, over two million pilgrims accompany La Generala from Guadalajara’s Metropolitan Cathedral to the Basilica of Zapopan. This procession, filled with songs, flowers, and pre-Hispanic dances, is Mexico’s third most important pilgrimage after Guadalupe and San Juan de los Lagos. Declared UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Romería is devotion and spectacle, when schools close, streets empty, and Jalisco gathers to honor its patroness. More info here.

🧀 Festival del Queso y Chocolate – October 18–19, Tepotzotlán
More than 60 exhibitors gather at the Gran Hotel Real for two days of indulgence featuring artisanal cheeses, fine chocolates, specialty coffee, mezcal, and gourmet treats. Beyond tastings, enjoy live music, a raffle with prizes, and an open-air food zone serving Argentine cuts, and antojitos mexicanos. More info here.

🐉 Parade of Monumental Alebrijes – October 18, CDMX 
Giant, hand-crafted alebrijes parade from the Zócalo to the Ángel de la Independencia along 5 de Mayo, Juárez, and Paseo de la Reforma. The procession starts at noon on October 18. If you miss it, the alebrijes remain on display along Reforma from October 18 through November 9, set between the Ángel and the Estela de Luz. Both events are free and open to the public. More info here.

🧚 Festival Medieval de Hadas y Duendes – October 19, Exconvento del Desierto de los Leones, CDMX 
The Medieval Festival of Fairies and Goblins transforms into a fantasy world with knight battles, Celtic music, Arabian dances, and an enchanted market of crafts, costumes, and medieval fare. Mystical activities include rune readings and tarot, plus themed food and drinks. More info here.

🧜 Tlanchana, Mythological Ballet – October 25–26, Teatro de la Ciudad, CDMX The legendary water guardian of the Toluca Valley comes to life in Tlanchana, a world-premiere ballet that blends neoclassical dance, theater, and clown. Directed by Tonatiuh Gómez, the production explores Mexico’s ancestral myths and our connection to water and nature. Performances are October 25 at 7:00 pm and October 26 at 6:00 pm. More info here.

💡 Say It in Spanish

“Estoy crudo/a.”

Translation: I’m hungover.

In Mexico, people don’t just get a hangover — they wake up crudos (which translates to raw). It perfectly captures that tender, slightly wrecked feeling after too much tequila or too many micheladas. You’ll hear it often on Sundays, usually right before someone orders chilaquiles or pozole as the ultimate cure.

🎯 Trivia Answer

The lesser long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae).

These nectar-feeding bats and agaves co-evolved – agaves even time peak nectar flow for night-feeding bats. As bats drink, pollen clings to their fur and gets ferried from plant to plant.

Estimates suggest bats account for up to 80% of agave pollination, a process that helps maintain the genetic diversity agaves need to resist drought, pests, and disease.

Bats follow flowering corridors seasonally, traveling long distances. Documented foraging flights can reach ~90 km in a night.

Because most agaves for spirits are harvested before they bloom, bats lose a key food source and agave populations lose genetic mixing. The Bat Friendly™ program tackles this by certifying tequila and mezcal made where at least 5% of agaves are left to flower and bats are observed feeding.

Want the full story? Check out this in-depth article from El País.

Why El Expat Insider Mexico? Life abroad isn’t just about relocating — it’s about reinventing. Every sunrise in Mexico brings new opportunities to explore, learn, and connect. Whether you’re here for a season or a lifetime, we’re your compass for making the most of every moment. Because life’s too short to live on autopilot.

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