Fiction writers seem to not just confuse Mexico and Spain, but to fuse them into a strange amalgam of the most general stereotypes of both, much as Scotireland fuses Scotland and Ireland. Maybe it's because they share a language and religion, the fact that Mexico used to be a Spanish colony, the exotic foods and customs of a non-Anglo-Saxon culture, or simply that the author Did Not Do the Research and hasn't travelled much, either. American writers also have the excuse that Mexico is closer, geographically, to the US than Spain is, so they're more familiar with Mexican culture, colouring their perception of Spain. Never mind that Mexican culture has also much in common with the Aztec, Maya, and other native civilizations and is much more influenced by American culture; they all speak Span