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1. The Financial Intelligence Unit’s authority to freeze bank accounts without a court order is upheld

The Supreme Court of Mexico upheld the constitutionality of Article 116 Bis 2 of the Credit Institutions Law, which allows the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) to add individuals and users of the banking system to the list of blocked persons when there is sufficient evidence of their alleged involvement in money laundering or terrorist financing offenses.

The ruling, which was approved by a vote of six to three, determined that this authority is administrative and preventive in nature, not criminal, and therefore does not replace the functions of the Public Prosecutor’s Office nor imply a determination of liability. The Court also held that the regulation guarantees the right to a hearing and the opportunity to present evidence before the freeze is imposed. In response to criticism of this resolution, the head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF), Omar Reyes Colmenares, stated that “no person or company engaged in lawful activities in compliance with the law should be concerned about this determination.”

Excelsior: UIF ahora podrá bloquear cuentas sin orden judicial; decisión dividida en la SCJN

La Jornada: “Ninguna cuenta lícita será bloqueada por la UIF ante fallo de la SCJN”

2. Plan to boost natural gas production aimed at reducing energy dependencenergética

The Mexican government presented a strategy to strengthen energy security by increasing natural gas production and reducing dependence on imports. Energy Secretary Luz Elena González Escobar noted that Mexico currently consumes approximately 9 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, of which 2.3 billion are produced by Pemex and the rest is imported, mainly from the United States.

In response, the government outlined three pillars: greater energy efficiency, expansion of renewable energy, and strengthening of domestic gas production. Within this framework, the plan is to increase electricity generation from renewable sources from 24% to 38% by 2030. Additionally, as part of this strategy, the creation of a Scientific Technical Committee was announced to analyze technologies and recommendations for the sustainable use of national reserves. President Sheinbaum emphasized that, for reasons of sovereignty and the environment, Mexico will seek to advance the exploitation of conventional gas through “unconventional” methods such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking), provided that technologies are used to minimize environmental impact.

El Economista: Gobierno presenta plan para aumentar la producción de gas natural en México

El Financiero: Gobierno de Sheinbaum impulsa producción de gas natural para reducir dependencia energética

3. New law approved to promote public-private partnerships

The Mexican Congress approved a reform to allow for public-private financing in strategic infrastructure projects, with private-sector participation without the government losing control of the projects. The new law establishes so-called Special Purpose Vehicles, a legal structure that will allow for risk isolation, the issuance of securities, and the channeling of institutional savings toward infrastructure. The scheme includes an investment plan totaling 5.6 trillion pesos by 2030, focusing on energy, railways, highways, ports, health, and water, as well as the creation of a Strategic Planning Council and a national infrastructure database.

The discussion sparked controversy over the possibility of using pension funds managed by the Retirement Fund Administrators (Afores), as these funds, along with cooperatives, communities, ejidos, and workers’ organizations, are permitted to participate in such projects. While legislators from Morena and their allies argued that this is a mixed-economy model with public oversight, the opposition and economic experts note that the risk is that, in some way, the fund managers will be forced to channel more money from the Afores into projects deemed “strategic” under the newly approved law; that is, exceeding the 30% limit allowed under current regulations (noting that in October 2024, the limit on Afores’ participation in infrastructure projects was expanded). The reform has already been published in the Official Gazette of the Federation.

El Economista: ¿Está en riesgo tu pensión? Ley de inversión mixta desata nueva polémica por ahorro en las afores

UNO TV: Senado aprueba inversión mixta en sectores estratégicos en México

4. Changes in key federal government positions: customs and the SRE get new heads

The federal government has made changes in two strategic agencies. First, the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) announced the departure of Rafael Marín Mollinedo, who had led the agency since 2022. Héctor Alonso Romero Gutiérrez, who previously worked at the Digital Transformation Agency and has been involved in Customs’ digitization efforts, will take over the position. President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized that his new responsibilities will include: full digitization of processes, non-invasive inspections (X-rays), and the unification of databases (Ministry of Economy, SAT, ANAM) into a single platform.

Meanwhile, the Senate confirmed Roberto Velasco as the new head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), following the resignation of Juan Ramón de la Fuente for health reasons. The confirmation comes at a time when Mexican foreign policy faces regional and trade pressures. During his confirmation hearing, Velasco stated that Mexico will not cede sovereignty to the United States and that his approach will be one of “cooperation without subordination,” with an emphasis on national security, managing migration, pursuing regional integration and trade, and strengthening ties with Canada, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region, in addition to providing diplomatic support to Cuba.

Milenio: ¿Quién es Héctor Alonso Romero, nuevo director de Aduanas?

Aristegui Noticias: Senado ratifica a Roberto Velasco como nuevo secretario de Relaciones Exteriores

5. IMPI is committed to digitalization in healthcare and greater coordination in customs

The Mexican Institute of Intellectual Property (IMPI) and the country’s health authority, COFEPRIS, have launched the IMPI-COFEPRIS Linkage System Portal, a digital platform designed to facilitate the consultation of health registrations and patents related to inventions that can be used in medicines; The tool will allow users to access information on health registrations, applications, third-party oppositions, current or soon-to-expire patents, as well as responses issued by IMPI to COFEPRIS. The project aims to provide greater certainty for the development of the health sector and strengthen the protection of industrial property, in line with Plan Mexico and the country’s international commitments, including the USMCA.

In the same vein, the Coordination and Collaboration Agreement between the entity and the National Customs Agency of Mexico was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation. The agreement seeks to establish mechanisms between both institutions to: strengthen the monitoring and detection of goods that infringe intellectual property rights; combat the entry and exit of counterfeit or illegal products at customs; facilitate the exchange of strategic information between ANAM and IMPI; monitor and evaluate joint actions regarding industrial property; and reinforce security at borders and points of entry into the country.

El Sol de México: IMPI y COFEPRIS lanzan portal para transparentar patentes y registros sanitarios

La Jornada: ANAM e IMPI firman convenio para identificar mercancías que vulneren la propiedad intelectual