Mexico City, Nov 26 (EFE). — After ratifying the changes proposed by the Mexican Senate to the General Law to Prevent, Investigate and Punish Crimes of Extortion, the Chamber of Deputies approved this Tuesday the reform that enacts a new General Law on Extortion, which punishes this crime with up to 42 years in prison. The approval occurred with 409 votes in favor, 33 against and one abstention. The reserved articles were approved for their discussion in particular, according to the terms of the bill, and it was sent to the Executive for publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) and its entry into force. The bill also amends the Federal Criminal Code and the National Code of Criminal Procedure, as well as the Federal Law Against Organized Crime, the National Law on Forfeiture of Assets, and the Organic Law of the Judicial Power of the Federation. It establishes, among other points, that whoever, without right, forces another to give, do, refrain from doing or tolerate something, obtaining a benefit or profit for themselves or another or causing someone a damage or patrimonial, moral, physical or psychological harm, will be sentenced to 15 to 25 years in prison. It also specifies that the sentence will be increased from 5 to 12 years in prison when the crime of extortion is committed using devices, means, services or platforms through which the transmission, broadcasting or reception of signs, signals, writings, images, voice, data, sounds or information of any nature that is carried out through threads, radioelectricity, optical, physical, electromagnetic systems or any other electronic means can be carried out. In addition, the sentence will be increased from 7 to 17 years in prison when the crime of extortion is committed through the use of one or more firearms or dangerous instruments or another object of appearance, form or configuration of firearms; and when it directly affects the economy of a community. It states that a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison will be applied to the public servant who has attributions in matters of prevention, investigation and prosecution of crimes. According to figures from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, by the end of 2024, 10,804 victims of extortion had accumulated. The initiative was sent by Sheinbaum on October 20 of last year, with the aim of unifying the aforementioned crime throughout the country. Currently, extortion is punished differently in each state of the country, which, according to the Executive, has hindered its prosecution and fostered impunity. Quote: 'Mexican deputies approve anti-extortion law and send it to the Executive for publication'.
