March 13th, 2026
1. Congress rejected Electoral Reform, and the President is preparing a new proposal
The Chamber of Deputies rejected the electoral reform proposed by President Claudia Sheinbaum by a vote of 259 in favor, 234 against, and one abstention. This rejection came despite the support of Morena’s allied parties, the PT and the PVEM, along with the PRI, PAN, and Movimiento Ciudadano. Although the PT and PVEM have generally supported the President’s initiatives, they expressed specific disagreements with this reform. The PT argued that the proposal could lead to a hegemonic state party, while the PVEM expressed reservations about the integration of the Senate and the reduction of funding for political parties. Despite the outcome, Morena reaffirmed its alliance with these parties and announced the development of a “Plan B.” Representative Ricardo Monreal, coordinator of the Morena Parliamentary Group, emphasized that this plan will seek to advance the changes originally proposed and that the support of allied parties will again be required to achieve a qualified majority.
Following the rejection, President Claudia Sheinbaum presented the “Plan B” for her electoral reform, focused on reducing the privileges of local and municipal legislative bodies, limiting the budgets of local congresses, and decreasing the number of council members in city councils. In addition, “Plan B” includes making the mechanisms for recalling elected officials more flexible, allowing for recall during the third or fourth year of a term. It will also propose putting key issues, such as public financing of political parties, to a public referendum to encourage greater public participation in electoral decisions. The Mayor emphasized that these measures aim to strengthen democracy and ensure a more efficient use of public resources.
El Economista: Sheinbaum presenta el “Plan B” de su reforma electoral tras rechazo de diputados
Proceso: Rechazan en la Cámara de Diputados la reforma electoral de Sheinbaum
2. Mexican Government releases results of internal USMCA Consultation and announces mission to Canada
Ahead of the upcoming USMCA review, Mexico released the results of its internal consultation with the business community, which identified several key concerns following consultations with nearly 3,000 business leaders and industrialists. Among the most relevant issues are the tariffs imposed by the United States, particularly in sectors such as steel and automobiles, as well as the application of rules of origin. Also highlighted as problematic are the asymmetries in the rapid response labor mechanism, unfair trade practices in agricultural products, and the costs associated with compliance with technical and administrative regulations. In addition, Mexico faces challenges related to logistics and energy infrastructure, as well as technological, labor, and environmental transitions. Despite these concerns, there is widespread consensus on the importance of the treaty for the Mexican economy, with many viewing it as key to reducing North America’s dependence on other regions of the world.
For its part, Canada has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the USMCA as a trilateral agreement, together with Mexico and the United States, highlighting the importance of preserving North American economic integration. In this context, it has announced a Mexican Trade Mission to Canada to be held in May 2026, during which Mexican business leaders will visit Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver with the aim of strengthening the presence of Mexican companies in the Canadian market and diversifying markets. Throughout this process, Mexican authorities have actively participated in bilateral discussions with Canada, underscoring the importance of cooperation between the two countries. Currently, trade between Mexico and Canada exceeds $100 billion, with annual trade in goods reaching $40 billion and bilateral investment totaling $60 billion.
La Jornada: México y Canadá cierran filas para que el T-MEC siga siendo trilateral
3. U.S. launches investigations against Mexico, China, and the EU due to ‘overproduction’
The U.S. government has launched trade investigations against Mexico, China, the European Union, and 13 other economies, citing alleged “excess production” in the manufacturing sector. These investigations aim to determine whether these countries’ industrial policies create unfair competition and harm U.S. industry by displacing domestic manufacturing and stifling new investment. Among the sectors most affected are steel, aluminum, and other industrial products critical to the U.S. economy. If these practices are confirmed, the U.S. administration could impose tariffs or other trade restrictions, intensifying global trade tensions.
For Mexico, these investigations represent a significant challenge, as the country could face new tariff barriers that would negatively impact strategic sectors such as the automotive and manufacturing industries. The situation also highlights growing protectionist pressure from the United States, which could complicate trade relations under the USMCA. Mexican authorities have emphasized the importance of maintaining an open dialogue with their U.S. counterparts to mitigate the potential adverse effects of these measures and protect the interests of the national economy.
El Financiero: ¿Se avecinan más aranceles? EU abre investigaciones contra México, China y la UE por ‘exceso de producción’
4. Government reaches agreement with gas stations to keep gasoline prices stable
The Mexican government and representatives of the national gas station association signed a voluntary agreement to keep the price of regular gasoline (Magna) at a maximum of 24 pesos per liter for the next six months. The agreement was signed by Energy Secretary Luz Elena González Escobar and the director of Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), Víctor Rodríguez Padilla, along with the president of Onexpo Nacional, Enrique Félix Robelo, representing the gas station sector. This agreement, which has the support of 96% of the country’s gas stations, aims to stabilize fuel prices and ensure their financial viability amid volatility in international energy markets.
For its part, the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) has decided not to apply tax incentives to gasoline or diesel during the week of March 7–13, 2026. This means that consumers will have to pay the full Special Tax on Production and Services (IEPS) for each liter of fuel. The current IEPS rates for this week are 6.7001 pesos per liter for Magna gasoline, 5.6579 pesos for Premium, and 7.3634 pesos for diesel. This measure comes amid rising international crude oil prices, which have exceeded $90 per barrel due to tensions in the Middle East.
El Economista: Gobierno de México y empresas renuevan pacto para topar en 24 pesos el precio de la gasolina regular
5. In the context of International Women’s Day, the government signs an agreement to reduce digital violence
The Mexican government has reached an agreement with the digital platforms Meta, Google, and TikTok to combat digital violence against women. This agreement, considered “pioneering,” includes the implementation of prevention campaigns, the creation of informational materials to raise user awareness, the organization of roundtable discussions, and the development of specific policies to address cases of harassment and remove violent or non-consensual intimate content. The Secretary for Women, Citlali Hernández, and Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted the importance of this voluntary collaboration, though they noted that the social media platform “X” decided not to participate in the project.
The main objective of the agreement is to strengthen existing mechanisms and develop new tools to address various forms of digital violence, such as sexual innuendo, the sending of unsolicited sexual content, identity theft, and the publication of photos or personal information without consent. This effort seeks to ensure a safer digital environment for women and set a precedent for collaboration between governments and technology companies to address urgent social issues.