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2w ago

FBI Returns Colonial-Era 'Villa de Santa Fe' Map to Mexico in Albuquerque Handoff

The return underscores binational cooperation in cultural repatriation.

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Justin Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque field office, listens to a presentation on a centuries-old map during a ceremony in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)
Joseph Sanchez, founder and former director of the Spanish Colonial Research Center at the University of New Mexico, gives a presentation about a centuries-old map being repatriated to Mexico during a ceremony in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)
Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber and Patricia Pinzon, Consul of Mexico in Albuquerque, sign documents returning a centuries-old map to Mexico's national archives during a ceremony in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

Overview

  • Mexican archivists documented the map as missing in 2011 from the national archives, where it was among dozens of pieces removed from bound records.
  • A Santa Fe librarian flagged the document during research on a map offered for sale, and Mexican experts confirmed authenticity using negatives and microfilm.
  • The New Mexico History Museum safeguarded the map in a climate-controlled setting while legal and diplomatic steps proceeded.
  • The FBI maintained custody over the past year and said no criminal charges will be filed in connection with the recovery.
  • The map highlights the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and is one of thousands of items Mexico is reclaiming, with officials citing a wider repatriation effort.