He Closed His Store After Years of Threats. Why Mexico’s Extortion Problem Is Getting Worse
MEXICO, JUL 8 – The strategy follows an 82.3% rise in extortion over ten years and aims to prosecute cases without victim complaints, officials said.
- On Sunday, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch unveiled a national anti-extortion strategy, followed by President Claudia Sheinbaum submitting a constitutional reform proposal Tuesday, enabled by Senate approval of the National Investigation and Intelligence System Law.
- Mexico's extortion cases increased over 80% in a decade, with 4,882 victims in the first five months of 2025, prompting government action including new strategies and legal reforms.
- Authorities plan to target prison call centers and issue monthly public reports, as over 99% of extortion remains unreported, following recent legal reforms approved by Congress.
- Detaining extortionists helps protect thousands of families, addressing a crime that causes significant societal harm, as officials emphasize the importance of law enforcement actions.
- Sheinbaum expects the General Law against Extortion to pass before year-end, supported by Morena's supermajority in Congress.
54 Articles
54 Articles


A few days after the Father's Day celebration in June 2019, when his men's clothing store in the historic center of the Mexican capital was packed with customers, a merchant received a call that left him petrified.

He closed his store after years of threats. Why Mexico's extortion problem is getting worse
Extortion is crippling businesses across Mexico, forcing many to shut down. A Mexico City shop owner shared his ordeal, which began in 2019 with threatening calls demanding payments.
Mexico City, 10 Jul (EFE).- The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, sent on Thursday a constitutional reform to the Mexican Congress to combat the crime of extortion, which has become one of the fastest-growing crimes in the country, with the aim of homologating penalties and sanctions throughout the nation. “The authorities of the Mexican State have a political, ethical and social obligation to recognize that extortion is a crime of high im…
The Federal Government sent to the Permanent Commission the constitutional reform initiative that empowers the Congress of the Union to issue a general law on extortion. The proposal will be turned over next Wednesday to the Chamber of Deputies, which will send it to the Constitutional Points Committee, chaired by the darkist Leonel Godoy, in order to begin its analysis and discussion. According to the President of the Political Coordination Boa…
Authorities launch national strategy against extortion to tackle a pernicious and widespread crime
The federal government is ramping up its fight against extortion, a crime whose incidence has increased more than 80% in the space of a decade. Security Minister Omar García Harfuch presented a new national strategy against extortion on Sunday, while President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday submitted a constitutional reform proposal to Congress that, if approved, will allow the legislature to establish a General Law Against Extortion. García Harfu…
The Mexican government launched a national strategy this week to combat extortion, a crime that, according to President Claudia Sheinbaum, "has not been contained" in recent years. Can this strategy address the resource challenges…
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