Cuentas claras, amistades largas. “Clear accounts, long friendships.” In December 2020, the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness, IMCO, wrote about the saying. It explained it as being “transparentes y claros con el objetivo de no cometer errores o friccionar relaciones” (transparent and clear, so as not to make mistakes or strain relationships).
Twenty Percent
Mexico’s Law on Acquisitions, Leases and Services of the Public Sector, published in a new form on April 16, 2025, sets fixed prices as the rule. Article 65 allows “decrementos o incrementos a los precios” (decreases or increases in prices) under an agreed adjustment formula. When prices rise or fall generally, government agencies “deberán reconocer incrementos o requerir reducciones” (must recognize increases or require reductions).
Article 74 allows contracts in force to be increased, as long as the changes do not exceed “en conjunto, el veinte por ciento” (altogether, twenty percent) of the original amount or quantity. Under Article 77, instead of rescinding a contract, an agency may give the supplier “otro plazo, que le permita subsanar el incumplimiento” (another deadline, which allows the supplier to correct the breach).
Taxes in Installments
Article 66 of Mexico’s Federal Tax Code states that the tax authorities, at the taxpayer’s request, may authorize “el pago a plazos” (payment over time). The payment can be deferred for up to twelve months, or paid in installments over up to thirty-six months.
Pemex’s Suppliers
In January 2026, citing a filing by Pemex with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, El Imparcial reported that the state oil company had rescheduled its payments to suppliers. Debts from 2025 could be paid “hasta en ocho años, mediante pagos trimestrales de capital e intereses” (over up to eight years, in quarterly payments of capital and interest). On October 31, 2025, these agreements came to 29,236 million pesos.
In July 2026, the suppliers’ association Amespac said that Pemex still owed them 27,240 million pesos, with debts dating back to 2024.
Thirty Minutes
According to a survey by the polling firm Gabinete de Comunicación Estratégica, cited by the news site Sopitas in April 2025, “un 67.1% de los mexicanos son impuntuales en cualquier situación” (67.1 percent of Mexicans are unpunctual in any situation). 44.6 percent of those surveyed are willing to wait up to 30 minutes for someone.
Complaints by Phone
Profeco, Mexico’s consumer protection agency, runs a service called Conciliaexprés. A consumer with a complaint calls Profeco or files a written complaint on its website, and a Profeco representative contacts the supplier to look for an agreement. The supplier must be registered in the system.
In 2025, the legal publication IDConline described the service as “una herramienta de conciliación rápida para resolver de forma ágil, reclamaciones en materia de consumo” (a tool for quick conciliation, to resolve consumer complaints swiftly).
Notice That
Fíjate que…, or with usted, fíjese que…, means “notice that…” In 2023, the UNAM linguist Josaphat Enrique Guillén Escamilla published a study of mira and fíjate in the educated speech of Mexico City, in the Anuario de Letras. When the markers open a reply, he wrote, they can announce “una justificación, pero también una respuesta despreferida” (a justification, but also an unwelcome answer).
One example from his corpus begins: “Fíjate que oportunidades he tenido” (Notice that I have had chances). The speaker goes on: “únicamente que por cuestiones de trabajo no… lo he podido hacer” (only that, for work reasons, I have not been able to do it).
No Posters, No Blacklists
Mexico’s financial consumer protection agency, CONDUSEF, sets rules for debt collection agencies. They may not use “listas negras, cartelones, o anuncios, que hagan del conocimiento del público la negativa de pago de los Deudores” (blacklists, posters or notices that make known to the public that debtors have not paid). They may not threaten, offend or intimidate the debtor’s relatives or coworkers.
In December 2025, El Imparcial reported CONDUSEF’s position that exposing debtors on social media or posters is “no solo es inapropiado, sino ilegal” (not only inappropriate, but illegal). Such practices “vulneran la privacidad y la dignidad de las personas” (violate the privacy and dignity of people).
Without a Board
In 2016, the consulting firm KPMG surveyed more than 200 directors and senior executives of family businesses in Mexico. Only 45 percent of the respondents had a governing body such as a board of directors. Only 30 percent of the boards included independent members in their meetings. KPMG described “decisiones más o menos unilaterales tomadas por los dueños y directores” (more or less unilateral decisions taken by the owners and directors).
Twenty-One Coaches
In April 2014, Jorge Vergara, the owner of the football club Chivas of Guadalajara, announced the dismissal of its coach, Ricardo La Volpe, himself. In October 2014, El Financiero counted that in his twelve years as owner, Vergara had hired 21 coaches. It called them “la larga lista de entrenadores empleados y despedidos por Vergara” (the long list of coaches hired and fired by Vergara).
In June 2019, ESPN reported that Vergara had given his son Amaury full authority over the club’s decisions, including changes of coach. When Amaury dismissed a coach, ESPN wrote that he continued “una tradición que su padre” had made popular “con el conjunto rojiblanco” (a tradition that his father had made popular with the red-and-white team).