As part of the National Strategy Against Extortion, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo announced a constitutional reform initiative that would allow the crime of extortion to be prosecuted ex officio, without requiring a formal complaint from the victim. This change would position the Mexican state as both victim and active participant in addressing and eradicating this offense.
During the morning press conference on Monday, July 7, Sheinbaum detailed her plan to submit a draft decree to the Chamber of Deputies to amend subsection a), section XXI of Article 73 of the Political Constitution. This amendment would grant Congress the authority to enact a General Law against Extortion, mandating that federal entities legislate on the matter and harmonize their legal frameworks.
The president explained that, since Sunday, July 6, the number 089 has been activated as an anonymous reporting line. Under the new National Law of the Investigation and Intelligence System, specialized units can initiate investigations without waiting for a formal complaint from the victim. «The important thing is that people know they are not alone, that we are here to support and combat this crime that causes so much harm,» she emphasized.
The Legal Counsel to the Executive, Ernestina Godoy, stated that the new legislation aims to effectively address the physical, psychological, economic, and social consequences of extortion. Meanwhile, Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch highlighted that the strategy includes five key components: reporting through 089, cancellation of lines used for extortion, initiation of cases in prosecutors’ offices, deployment of intelligence units, and strengthening of specialized units.
In the same security report, President Sheinbaum announced that the first half of 2025 has seen the lowest number of intentional homicides since 2016. According to data from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, the daily average of homicides decreased by 24.5%.
