The pase turistico was established to help the many US LEGAL Mexican Citizens that travel to Mexico in December to visit family, they have escorted convoys from the border to key cities in the interior, this is to prevent the bad buys from assaulting them for the presents that they bring, such as radios, TV, blender and toys, in the past there were to many folks being robed, this included some gringos and there were a lot of complaining folks.
The hoy no circula (today you do not circulate) only applies to México City and surrounding towns as well as the City of Toluca year round, applying for the pase turistico enables the US registered vehicles and some from Mexico to circulate all 7 days of the week for 14 consecutive days, this does not apply to the rest of Mexico, it is a smog antipollution measure.
navegator