Latin America sees rising torture risk as Mexico and Ecuador listed as high‑risk in Global Index

The 2026 Global Torture Index, released on 25 June, placed Mexico again in the high‑risk category. Although Mexico’s constitution forbids torture, the report notes that coercive practices in addiction‑treatment clinics amount to torture, victims often do not file complaints, and half of the complaints filed with human‑rights commissions name prosecutors as perpetrators.

Ecuador entered the Index’s high‑risk tier for the first time. The report links the deterioration to the state of exception declared in 2024, which expanded military powers without civilian oversight, leading to arbitrary detentions, 369 reported torture cases, 51 forced disappearances, severe prison overcrowding, tuberculosis outbreaks and deadly riots. Regional data show that seven of eight Latin American countries assessed rank as high or very high risk for torture.

The findings underscore persistent gaps between legal frameworks and their enforcement across the region.