October 24th, 2025
1. Sheinbaum sends initiatives against extortion
President Claudia Sheinbaum sent an initiative to the Chamber of Deputies to enact an Anti-Extortion Law that seeks to prosecute and unify this crime throughout the country so that it can be prosecuted ex officio and reported anonymously, requiring only a description of how the crime was committed. The reform also consists of harmonizing the Federal Criminal Code, the National Code of Criminal Procedure, the Federal Law against Organized Crime, the National Law on Asset Forfeiture, and the Organic Law of the Federal Judiciary. Its objective is to provide municipal, state, and federal authorities with sufficient legal tools to address this crime.
Currently, extortion is punished differently in each state of the country, which, according to the Federal Executive, has made it difficult to prosecute and has led to impunity. This reform proposes to implement protection and assistance measures for victims, witnesses, and offended parties, and to coordinate their efforts to improve the way this problem is combated. Penalties under this law would include prison terms of 6 to 15 years and fines of 100 to 500 times the daily value of the Measurement and Update Unit (UMA), and include aggravating circumstances for protection money, when the victims are migrants, minors, or in cases where it is carried out by a public servant. Those convicted of extortion will not be eligible for pre-release benefits or commutation of their sentence.
El Financiero: Sheinbaum envía iniciativa de Ley General para prevenir y sancionar la extorsión: Esto sabemos
2. Mexican government presents breast cancer care model
Health Secretary David Kershenobich Stalnikowitz announced an investment of 8 billion pesos in a Universal Breast Cancer Care Model. This model will consist of promoting educational campaigns on risk factors; early detection through self-examination from the age of 20 and biannual mammograms for women over 40; diagnosis through biopsy; treatment that will include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy; and a specific goal that the time from suspicion to diagnosis will not exceed 30 days, and 21 days between diagnosis and the start of treatment.
To implement these strategies, new equipment will be purchased between 2026 and 2027, with the goal of having a total of 1,656 mammography machines available to perform 8.9 million studies annually, 34,327 per day, and 21 per day per machine in the 62 screening centers that will exist at that time. In addition, 20 Diagnostic Centers will be set up with imaging and pathology personnel to interpret the studies, and 32 Hospital Oncology Care Units for women will be built, one in each state. The program’s objective is to enable women to receive comprehensive care throughout the public health sector, regardless of their entitlement, in order to aid in the early detection of breast cancer and strengthen the treatment team.
3. Relaunch of the National Action Party raises doubts
The National Action Party (PAN), Mexico’s main opposition force, presented a strategic relaunch with the aim of redefining its political identity and regaining prominence in the face of the majority party. Its national leader, Jorge Romero, said that the alliances they made with the PRI are now behind them and that the party will go it alone in future elections. However, in some states, such as Nuevo León and Chihuahua, they are still betting on an alliance, which is causing conflicts and doubts about the party’s internal structure. Among the most notable changes is the new slogan: “Homeland, Family, and Freedom,” similar to that of right-wing parties in Spain, Brazil, and Argentina, with an anti-woke stance that has been quite successful in the United States and Europe but does not resonate as much in Mexico, especially among the younger population.
Regarding the electoral strategy, a promise was made to open up candidacies to civil society through primary elections in order to put forward the best options. However, this strategy had already been launched by the party before and was not successfully implemented. Analysts have pointed out that the PAN has few relevant figures, but that they do not have a significant impact as opponents of the government. The PAN presented its agenda, which would include positions on attracting foreign investment, revising the USMCA, security in agricultural regions, inflation trends, and economic performance, with the aim of presenting itself as the opposition force capable of offering stability and certainty in the face of the current uncertain national context.
El Universal: El PAN se corre más a la derecha
4. ECLAC raises Mexico’s economic growth forecast for 2025 to 0.6%
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has revised its economic growth forecast for Mexico in 2025 upward, from 0.3% to 0.6%. This change is attributed to more favorable performance in international trade and a U.S. economy that has exceeded expectations. However, Mexico’s growth projection remains the lowest in Latin America and the Caribbean, surpassing only Cuba and Haiti, which face estimated contractions of 1.5% and 2.3%, respectively. At the regional level, ECLAC has also increased its growth forecast for 2025 from 2.2% to 2.4%, maintaining its estimate for 2026 at 2.3%. However, it warns that external momentum for growth has slowed and that the region continues to grow at a slow pace.
ECLAC stresses that, to improve this situation, a more accelerated productive transformation is needed to boost economic growth and productivity, diversify economies, and generate more and better jobs. It also notes that the international outlook continues to be dominated by risks that could reduce growth expectations, such as abrupt corrections in international financial markets, possible additional trade disruptions, and tensions that could affect the credibility of monetary policies in the world’s major central banks and interest rate levels.
La Jornada: Aumenta Cepal a 0.6% la perspectiva de crecimiento económico en México este 2025
5. Digital bank Revolut arrives in Mexico
Revolut, the British fintech company with more than 65 million customers in Europe, has received final authorization from the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) to operate as a full-service bank in Mexico. This permit marks the last regulatory step before opening to the public, consolidating its long-term commitment to the Mexican market. The company plans to start operations in Mexico in early 2026 as part of its expansion in Latin America, which also includes Colombia and Argentina. CNBV’s approval allows Revolut to offer a full range of traditional and digital banking services, including savings accounts, debit cards, and international transfers, which could attract young, tech-savvy users looking for alternatives to conventional banking.
Revolut’s arrival adds to growing competition in the Mexican banking sector, where institutions such as Plata, Nu, and Hey Banco have already received banking licenses and are awaiting final approval to begin operations. In addition, Openbank Mexico, the digital arm of Grupo Financiero Santander, began operations this year, while other companies such as Masari Casa de Bolsa, Mercado Pago, Konfío, and Finsus are in the process of obtaining their banking licenses. This increase in the supply of digital banks reflects the transformation of the Mexican financial market, driven by demand for more flexible services, advanced technology, and less dependence on physical branches, which could redefine the way consumers interact with the financial system.
El Financiero: Llega competencia para BBVA y Banamex: Revolut recibe ‘luz verde’ para operar como banco en México