Politics: Mexico
Key Facts
—Who. President Claudia Sheinbaum, who signed the constitutional reform on Wednesday 7 October 2026.
—What. Candidates for president, state governor and head of Mexico City’s government must hold only Mexican nationality. The reform changes Articles 82, 116 and 122 of the Constitution.
—The catch. Dual nationals may still run if they renounce the other nationality before registering with the National Electoral Institute (INE).
—When. It applies from the 2028 electoral process. Publication in the Official Gazette (DOF) was set for the same day.
—US link. A Mexican who also holds US citizenship would have to give up the US citizenship to run for these offices.
—Status. Regulations that set the procedure are still to be issued.
—As of. 7 October 2026, 23:45 GMT.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has signed a constitutional reform that requires candidates for president, governor and Mexico City’s head of government to hold only Mexican nationality. It applies from the 2028 elections, and a candidate with a second passport must renounce it before registering.
What We Know
Sheinbaum signed the decree on Wednesday 7 October 2026, according to Mexican media, and it was due to appear in the Official Gazette (DOF) the same day. The reform changes Articles 82, 116 and 122 of the Constitution, which set the requirements for the president, governors and the head of Mexico City’s government.
Anyone who holds another nationality must renounce it before registering as a candidate with the National Electoral Institute (INE). Mexicans with a second nationality may keep it if they do not run for these three offices.
Luisa María Alcalde, the government’s legal adviser, said at the morning press conference that the rule will apply from the 2028 electoral process, according to UnoTV. Sheinbaum says the measure is meant to prevent foreign interference.
Sheinbaum first floated the idea at her press conference on Tuesday 25 August 2026, when she said a Mexican president “does not represent another country”, according to El Mañana. Mexican presidents serve a single six-year term, and her own term ends in 2030.
How the Reform Passed
The Chamber of Deputies approved the reform on 22 September 2026 with 344 votes in favour. The Senate followed on 29 September by 86 votes to 42, according to its press office.
Article 135 of the Constitution requires two-thirds of the members present in Congress and approval by a majority of the 32 state legislatures. Twenty-two legislatures had approved when the Senate declared the reform valid on Tuesday 6 October.
After the chambers of Congress confirmed the declaration, the decree went to the president. She signed it on Wednesday 7 October, ahead of publication in the Official Gazette.
Our earlier coverage explains how the reform cleared the lower house and the debate over who it would affect. Both reports predate the signature.
Who Could Be Affected
Mexico has allowed dual nationality since 1998, so the group is large and includes many Mexican-Americans with Mexican parents. The reform leaves that general right in place.
It sets a condition only for people who want to run for president, governor or Mexico City’s top post. Everyone else with a second nationality keeps it.
Reports of the reform name only three offices: the presidency, state governorships and the head of Mexico City’s government. Other posts, such as legislators and mayors, are not mentioned in the coverage we reviewed.
Critics say the rule is discriminatory, according to Mexican media, and point out that dual nationals also sit in Sheinbaum’s own party. We found no official count of how many office-holders or likely candidates hold a second nationality.
What We Do Not Know
Regulations that set the procedure and the competent authorities for formalising a renunciation are still to be issued, according to Alcalde. It is unclear how the INE will check that a candidate has completed the renunciation.
We could not retrieve the decree text from the Official Gazette itself, so the details here come from Mexican media reports of the signing. Mexican media report that the decree enters into force the day after its publication in the Official Gazette, and that the rule covers the 2028 process.
What It Means for Travelers and US Readers
A Mexican citizen who also holds US citizenship would have to give up one of the two to run for these offices from 2028. For a US citizen, giving up citizenship is a formal and generally irreversible step.
US law does not make a citizen choose between nationalities. The condition therefore comes from Mexico, not from Washington.
The reform takes away nobody’s second nationality, because the condition applies only to those who choose to run. It does not touch visas, residency or voting, which its three articles do not cover.
The next thing to watch is the set of rules that will define how a renunciation is proven before the INE. Those details will decide how smoothly the 2028 candidate registration can work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mexico’s new reform require?
Candidates for president, state governor and head of Mexico City’s government must hold only Mexican nationality. The reform changes Articles 82, 116 and 122 of the Constitution.
When does the rule apply?
From the 2028 electoral process, according to Luisa María Alcalde, the government’s legal adviser. Sheinbaum signed the decree on Wednesday 7 October 2026.
Can dual nationals still run for office?
Yes, if they renounce the other nationality before registering with the National Electoral Institute. Mexicans with a second nationality who do not run are not affected.
Why does this matter to US readers?
A Mexican who also holds US citizenship would have to give up the US citizenship to run for these offices. The reform does not otherwise change a dual national’s rights.
Sources
Latinus · Excélsior · El Mañana · UnoTV · Mexican Senate · La Jornada · Diario Oficial de la Federación
Connected Coverage
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief