Guanajuato Governor proposes prison sentences for forced minor unions

Guanajuato Governor Libia Dennise García Muñoz Ledo has introduced an initiative to amend the State Penal Code and the State Health Law. The proposal aims to criminalize forced cohabitation and establish measures for addressing pregnancies in children and adolescents.

Under the proposed legislation, any adult who establishes or maintains a de facto or customary union, comparable to marriage, with a person under 18 years of age would face eight to 15 years of imprisonment and fines ranging from 80 to 150 days. The same penalties would apply to adults who exploit individuals lacking the capacity to understand the significance of the act or to resist it.

The initiative specifies that the crime would be prosecuted ex officio. Furthermore, the manifestation of consent by a victim under 18 years of age would not exclude the criminal responsibility of the perpetrator.