The Guadalajara Reporter
Guadalajara's Largest English Newspaper
Cuba is reeling. Hardly a drop of oil has been delivered to the island in the last three months, its president has confirmed.
According to CNN, fuel prices have skyrocketed to US$9 a liter on the unofficial market, meaning it costs more than US$300 to fill a car’s gas tank — more than most Cubans earn in a year.
Currency fluctuations can be invisible to the average Joe Blow or Juan Perez. Investors, traders, exporters, importers, economists and politicians may pay close attention, but most of us generally only notice the value of our home currencies when we travel — and see that they buy more or less than before.
With the U.S. government shutdown now in its second month, some American expat residents of Guadalajara, Lakeside and Puerto Vallarta are facing a growing dilemma. Despite their love of Mexico, returning home at Thanksgiving to gather with family is a cherished tradition for many. However, this is being overshadowed by the threat of major flight disruptions and uncertainty.
The primary reason ballots are not counted in U.S. elections is straightforward: they arrive after the state's deadline.
Travelers to Europe from North America will soon face new entry requirements as the European Union (EU) rolls out two major systems designed to streamline border processes and bolster security. The first of these, the Entry/Exit System (EES), will go live in October, with full implementation expected by April 2026. The EES aims to replace traditional passport stamping with an automated, electronic process that tracks non-EU nationals entering and exiting the Schengen Area for short stays.
Foreign citizens, including Mexicans, requiring non-immigrant U.S. visas will face significantly higher costs starting next year.
Because most of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s work is deemed “essential,” deportation operations will continue without significant impact during a shutdown, according to the American Immigration Council.
Recent headlines from major U.S. media outlets point to a crisis of morale within the country’s diplomatic corps:
“U.S. Diplomats Are Hating Their Jobs Under Trump” — The Daily Beast
“U.S. Diplomats Report Broken Morale and Abandoned Careers” — The New York Times
It may do no more than provoke more exhausting court challenges, but the Monday announcement by Donald Trump that he would lead more challenges to the American federal election system as carried out in states could affect whether U.S. citizens residing abroad can participate in the 2026 midterms, and other elections.
