Mexico advances legislative reforms to protect vulnerable populations

In Chiapas, a reform aimed at strengthening penalties for abandoning incapacitated persons has stalled in the state congress despite an average of 400 documented abandonment cases in 2025 and early 2026. The proposal highlights the growing number of seniors—over 507,000 people aged 60 or older—and nearly two million residents with disabilities who rely on family support, underscoring the need for more effective legal safeguards.

In Mexico City, Deputy Ana Buendía García of the Morena party has introduced 60 legislative initiatives during the current legislature. Key measures include authorising the seizure of retirement savings from individuals who fail to pay child‑support obligations, mandating school‑based sensitisation for students with chronic illnesses, and creating new criminal offences for digital violence. Buendía also reports over 160 direct assistance actions for victims of crimes as part of her role leading the Special Commission for Victim Attention.