As plenary speaker at the 54th Mexican Congress of Chemistry held at the University of Puebla on September 30 – October 3, Fraser Stoddart presented a lecture on the growing impact of the mechanical bond on polymer and materials sciences. He was joined by fellow plenary speaker Avelino Corma from the Polytechnical University of Valencia for a series of engaging presentations to a diverse international audience. The objective of the congress is to promote and disseminate scientific and technological research, as well as to stimulate the full development of professionals whose activities are framed within the general field of chemistry.