Mexico Moves to Ban Dual Citizenship for Presidential Candidates

MEXICO CITY: A constitutional reform in Mexico is advancing rapidly, aiming to prohibit presidential candidates from holding dual citizenship. This initiative, backed by the ruling Morena party, has sparked criticism for potentially infringing on political rights and targeting opposition figures.

President Claudia Sheinbaum has defended the proposal, which would also apply to state governors and the mayor of Mexico City, asserting it serves as a safeguard against foreign interference. “Presidents of Mexico can only have one flag, one homeland, one people to defend,” Sheinbaum stated during her daily news conference on Wednesday.

Critics argue that the reform creates significant barriers for dual-national politicians and could hinder generational succession within Sheinbaum’s Morena party and its allies, many of whom possess foreign passports. The swift approval of these constitutional changes by a majority of Mexico’s 32 state legislatures reflects the ruling party’s strong influence, having already passed both chambers of the national Congress.

Lawmakers are now required to issue a formal “declaration of constitutionality” before the text can be published in the official gazette, marking the next step in this contentious legislative process.