apparently you just have to have had a prior entry. i was there for ~6 months starting in 2021. this prior entry needs to have been before 2023. then being there now and overstaying as "error"

perhaps this was brought about without intention by how it was worded or something, where one might assume the existing stay has been overstayed vs. years instead of my walk in shenanigans. i have heard flying into places and requesting a short stay (7 days) isn't typically granted now and they'll do 30+ instead. also if it is clerical and unintended to be this way, that may be why some places don't seem to be ones where you would go to have this processed successfully (mexico city) although it sounds like it is still doable elsewhere. i assume the amount of people trying at this point is pretty low if your odds of success also now include having to go through the time of walking across and flying to the right places. nonetheless i'll be trying this theory out. hopefully i stay out of jail, my spanish isn't that great