Overview
- Senators approved the law unanimously with 110 votes, creating a single federal offense with a base penalty of 15 to 25 years and 34 aggravating factors that can raise sentences to 42 years.
- The Senate raised penalties from the Deputies’ earlier 6–15 year draft to avoid retroactive releases in states with tougher statutes and generally barred early-release and commutation benefits, with a narrow exception for cooperating offenders.
- Extortion will be prosecuted ex officio, with anonymous reporting and victim protections, and the law envisions citizen attention centers for case follow-up.
- Authorities must establish specialized, certified units of prosecutors, police and analysts, curb prison-based schemes, criminalize bringing communication devices into prisons with 6–12 year penalties, and punish public servants who fail to report extortion with 10–20 years.
- The revised bill now returns to the Chamber of Deputies; Morena leader Ricardo Monreal indicated deputies would accept the changes, while opposition senators warned the law needs explicit funding to be effective.