World Justice Project reports decline in rule of law for US and Mexico

The 2026 Rule of Law Index by the World Justice Project (WJP) reveals significant institutional declines in both the United States and Mexico.

In the United States, the country fell to 30th place among 143 nations, marking a three-position drop and a 1.8% decrease in its overall score. The most substantial decline occurred in civil justice, where the U.S. dropped 10 positions to 47th. Other notable decreases include criminal justice, which fell to 41st, and fundamental rights, which fell to 49th. Despite these setbacks, the U.S. maintained its 20th place ranking in open government.

Mexico experienced a severe decline, ranking 125th globally with a score of 0.39, well below the global average of 0.55. This represents an 8.4% regression since 2021. The country's criminal justice system saw a critical 21.2% decrease, placing Mexico 139th out of 143 nations in that category. Additionally, Mexico's ability to limit government power fell by 11.6%, and its order and security ranking dropped to 132nd globally.