Human Rights Watch (HRW) has placed Mexico on its list of countries experiencing some of the most severe democratic backsliding and human rights abuses worldwide. In its latest annual report, the international NGO warns that Mexico’s democratic institutions are under mounting pressure due to the erosion of checks and balances, escalating criminal violence, and widespread impunity.
According to HRW, the weakening of independent institutions has allowed executive power to expand without sufficient oversight. This concentration of authority, the organization argues, undermines democratic safeguards designed to protect citizens and ensure accountability. The report highlights concerns over reforms and political maneuvers that diminish the autonomy of electoral bodies and the judiciary, raising alarms about the future of democratic governance in the country.
Beyond institutional fragility, HRW points to Mexico’s extreme levels of criminal violence as a major factor destabilizing society. Organized crime groups continue to exert control over large regions, often operating with little resistance. The NGO stresses that the state’s inability to effectively confront these groups has left communities vulnerable to intimidation, extortion, and deadly attacks.
Equally troubling, HRW underscores the persistence of impunity and abuses committed by security forces. Despite repeated promises of reform, cases of arbitrary detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings remain unresolved. The lack of accountability, the report notes, perpetuates a cycle in which victims are denied justice and perpetrators act without fear of consequences.
Mexico’s inclusion among countries with the greatest democratic setbacks places it alongside nations where authoritarian tendencies and human rights violations are intensifying. HRW calls on the Mexican government to strengthen institutions, ensure transparency, and prioritize justice for victims of violence and abuse. Without decisive action, the NGO warns, democratic erosion and human rights violations will continue to deepen, threatening the country’s stability and credibility on the global stage.
Source: OEM
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