Mexico Chamber of Deputies approves ‘Anti-Meme Law’ reforms

Anti-Meme Law Chamber of Deputies freedom of expression industrial property law Mexico

The Mexican Chamber of Deputies has approved reforms to the Federal Penal Code and the Federal Law for the Protection of Industrial Property, a measure popularly dubbed the ‘Anti-Meme Law’. The legislation aims to combat piracy and fraud by penalizing the unauthorized commercial use of government graphic identities, such as logos, symbols, or official documents, intended to deceive the public.

Under the new provisions, individuals who use or imitate institutional identities on a commercial scale to commit illicit acts face prison sentences ranging from one to five years. Additionally, offenders may be subject to fines between 1,000 and 10,000 Units of Measure and Update (UMA), which equates to approximately 117,310 to over 1.1 million pesos.

The approval was met with significant opposition from parties including PAN, PRI, and Movimiento Ciudadano. Critics and human rights organizations, such as ARTICLE 19, warned that the law’s ambiguous wording lacks explicit protections for journalism, satire, art, and political criticism. They argued the lack of safeguards could lead to censorship and self-censorship, as the law does not clearly distinguish between fraudulent impersonation and legitimate expressive uses like memes or caricatures.

Entities

Article 19 · Chamber of Deputies · Claudia Sheinbaum · Federal Penal Code · Mexico · Morena · PAN · PRI

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 10 SOURCES] Opposition parties proposed including explicit exemptions for journalism, education, art, and satire. interdiario.com.mx · dossierpolitico.com · eltiempomx.com · www.uniradiosonora.com · 889noticias.mx · +5 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Fines for these offenses range from 1,000 to 10,000 UMA. buenosdiasbcs.com · yucatanalamano.com · interdiario.com.mx · mayacomunicacion.com.mx · dossierpolitico.com · +3 more
[DISPUTED] The reform was passed in its specific articles with 281 votes in favor and 87 against. dossierpolitico.com · laverdad.com.mx · massinformacion.com.mx · www.elbuentono.com.mx
[DISPUTED] The Chamber of Deputies approved the reforms with 312 votes in favor and 119 against. 889noticias.mx · yucatanalamano.com · interdiario.com.mx · mayacomunicacion.com.mx · www.uniradiosonora.com · +5 more
[● 8 SOURCES] The reform targets the use of institutional graphic identity at a commercial scale. 889noticias.mx · buenosdiasbcs.com · interdiario.com.mx · mayacomunicacion.com.mx · eltiempomx.com · +3 more
[● 14 SOURCES] The reform includes prison sentences of one to five years for the commercial use of institutional graphic identity to commit fraud. 889noticias.mx · buenosdiasbcs.com · yucatanalamano.com · interdiario.com.mx · mayacomunicacion.com.mx · +9 more
[● 6 SOURCES] The project was sent to the Federal Executive for publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation. dossierpolitico.com · 889noticias.mx · massinformacion.com.mx · www.elbuentono.com.mx · laverdad.com.mx · +1 more
[● 18 SOURCES] The reform modifies the Federal Penal Code and the Federal Law for the Protection of Industrial Property. 889noticias.mx · buenosdiasbcs.com · yucatanalamano.com · interdiario.com.mx · mayacomunicacion.com.mx · +13 more