Overview

• Senators voted 106–0 to amend Article 73, authorizing the federal Congress to issue a General Law on Extortion that replaces fragmented state-by-state approaches.
• Tamaulipas, Chiapas, Tabasco, Oaxaca and Nayarit ratified the amendment on Sept. 25, leaving 12 additional state approvals to reach the 17 required.
• The forthcoming law is intended to harmonize definitions, aggravating factors, penalties and victim-care protocols nationwide, with cases expected to be investigated ex officio.
• Lawmakers cited rising impacts: extortion grew about 57% in six years, averaged nearly 30 daily cases in January 2025, logged 5,887 victims in the first half of 2025, and cost businesses over 124 billion pesos in 2023.
• Opposition parties supported the change but warned that legal harmonization must be matched by enforcement capacity, specialized anti-extortion units and early support protocols for victims.