Sheinbaum Proposes National Law to Combat Extortion in Mexico

President Claudia Sheinbaum has submitted a bill to the Chamber of Deputies proposing a General Law to combat extortion nationwide. The initiative aims to standardize how extortion is defined and punished across all states, allow authorities to prosecute it automatically, and enable victims to report crimes anonymously.

The law would align several existing regulations, including the Federal Penal Code, National Code of Criminal Procedures, laws against organized crime, and federal judiciary rules. Its goal is to give municipal, state, and federal authorities the tools needed to prevent extortion, protect victims and witnesses, and coordinate enforcement effectively.

Under the proposal, extortion would carry prison sentences of 6 to 15 years and fines of 100 to 500 times the daily Measurement and Update Unit (UMA). Penalties would increase in cases involving protection rackets, minors, migrants, or public officials. Victims can report anonymously via tip line 089, and authorities would be required to begin investigations once a report is received.

The bill also introduces stricter rules for convicted extortionists, limiting early release or sentence reduction, except when cooperation with justice is significant. The initiative follows a constitutional reform aimed at harmonizing extortion penalties across Mexico, preventing inconsistencies between state laws that have hindered prosecution.

According to the National Public Security System, Mexico recorded 10,804 extortion victims in 2024, with the majority of cases concentrated in eight states: State of Mexico, Guanajuato, Nuevo Leon, Mexico City, Veracruz, Jalisco, Guerrero, and Michoacan.