“To run for governor, how can you hold nationality from another country? You are Mexican, and that’s that.”
The federal government of Mexico has introduced a constitutional reform initiative to Congress aiming to prevent individuals with dual nationality from aspiring to the presidency or state governorship. This proposal, however, will not impact the dual nationality status of ordinary Mexican citizens, including millions of Mexican Americans who have rights to citizenship in both nations.
“The key question is whether you intend to be president or governor,” President Claudia Sheinbaum stated at her morning news conference last week. “In that context, it is essential to clarify that you should possess only Mexican nationality.”
The proposal seeks to amend Articles 82, 116, and 122 of the Mexican Constitution, ensuring that those holding pivotal positions in the executive branch exclusively possess Mexican nationality and prioritize Mexico’s national interests:
- Presidency of the Republic.
- State governorships.
- Head of government of Mexico City.
The proposed changes to Article 82 would require presidential candidates to be Mexican citizens by birth, to have at least one Mexican parent, to renounce any other nationality before registering as candidates, and to have resided in Mexico for a minimum of 20 years.
This same nationality requirement would similarly apply to those running for state governorships or the position of head of the government of Mexico City.
“Why would you possess dual nationality if you represent Mexico’s people?” Sheinbaum questioned. “To be a candidate for governor, holding nationality from another country is unacceptable. You are simply Mexican.”
🇲🇽🪪 “Why would you hold dual nationality if you represent the people of Mexico? You’re Mexican, period.”
Sheinbaum plans to propose a constitutional reform barring dual nationals from the presidency and governorships, referencing the case of the US-born former governor who fled Mexico.… pic.twitter.com/MZwdOV2tUX
— Samuel 🇲🇽 (@resisres) August 25, 2026
To substantiate her proposal, Sheinbaum referenced the case of former Tamaulipas governor Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca (PAN), a dual national born in the US, who is facing numerous criminal charges in Mexico, including organized crime, money laundering, and tax evasion. Following the expiration of his gubernatorial term and loss of political immunity in late 2022, Cabeza de Vaca absconded to the US.
According to reports from Insight Crime , “Cabeza de Vaca had maintained a decent rapport with US officials, meeting with powerful senators in Texas and collaborating on bi-national security initiatives with Customs and Border Protection (CBP).”
Following his flight to the US, Mexico sought Cabeza de Vaca’s extradition, which was promptly denied by US authorities, a common outcome for Mexico’s extradition requests. He is currently viewed as a fugitive in Mexico and has even indicated intentions to run for Mexican president in 2030.
While Sheinbaum cites Cabeza de Vaca’s case as a rationale for the reform, the context of this initiative ties into a larger pattern seen across Latin America. Whether through electoral manipulation or military intervention—such as in Venezuela—the Trump administration is intent on establishing subservient states in resource-rich countries across the region.
Recent developments hint at the US managing its new protectorate in Venezuela as part of this agenda.
Venezuela begins supplying oil at cost to replenish the US Strategic Reserve before receiving compensation from Trump’s deal.
Consider this: the poorest nation in Latin America is effectively subsidizing the US in exchange for a vague promise of future investment. https://t.co/OLiipNKzzm— Francisco Rodríguez (@frrodriguezc) September 2, 2026
🚨 VENEZUELA IS BECOMING A MODERN RESOURCE COLONY 🚨
They claimed Maduro was the issue: drugs, dictatorship, human rights violations, and national security. However, as this analysis indicates, once Maduro was… pic.twitter.com/qnEQ1CJOU5
— Kevork Almassian (@KevorkAlmassian) September 2, 2026
Having government officials with dual US citizenship serves as a means of ensuring their loyalty—though historically, the comprador class in Latin America has shown consistent allegiance to US interests.
Currently, five heads of state in Latin America hold dual or even triple citizenship:
- Javier Milei of Argentina (Argentine + Italian), who may potentially acquire Israeli citizenship after converting to Judaism.
- Daniel Noboa of Ecuador (Ecuadorian + US), eligible to run for US president given his birth in Miami.
- Rodrigo Paz of Bolivia (Bolivian + Spanish). He is not the first Bolivian president to have Spanish citizenship.
- César Bernardo Arévalo de León of Guatemala (Guatemalan + Ecuadorian).
- Abelardo de la Espriella of Colombia, who holds three nationalities (Colombian, Italian, and US).
Thus, out of the 33 heads of state in Latin America and the Caribbean, over one-seventh possess dual nationality, while one-sixteenth bear dual US citizenship. Notably, it is the first instance in modern history where two heads of state in the region hold US citizenship simultaneously.
During Colombia’s recent presidential election, significant doubts were raised regarding the ethical and legal implications of de la Espriella’s candidacy, due to the potential conflicts arising from his US nationality. In early June, a group of 36 scholars and legal experts signed a letter expressing their concerns that…
“…while his dual Italian nationality does not present legal issues, [his] US citizenship creates legal, ethical, and political challenges for anyone aspiring to be president of Colombia, as acquiring it necessitates an oath of allegiance with legal obligations that conflict with the responsibilities of the Colombian presidency.”
This conclusion isn’t surprising. The Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States states:
“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by law; and that I take this obligation freely, without mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”
Colombia’s Supreme Court, however, found no cause for concern regarding De la Espriella’s US citizenship. After a razor-thin defeat in the second round of elections, De la Espriella’s opponent, Ivan Cepeda, called for him to renounce his US citizenship and clarify any affiliations with US security agencies, a request he has so far ignored.
Since assuming office just over a month ago, De la Espriella has demonstrated distinct inclinations toward US alliances.
VIDEO | President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella reshapes Colombian diplomacy, focusing on Israel and the US.
The newly elected Colombian president, Abelardo de la Espriella, announced a significant shift in foreign policy by discontinuing the mission in Palestine and establishing an embassy… pic.twitter.com/vtOKDYNvX9
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) July 27, 2026
Contrarily, Sheinbaum aims to preempt this potential scenario in Mexico. Amid ongoing repercussions from a scandal involving “Maga’s Man in Latin America,” Fernando Cerimedo, accused of attempting to kill his ex-girlfriend in Bolivia, it has come to light that Mexico could be the next target on the Latin American far-right’s agenda.
As Kurt Hackbarth highlights for Jacobin, Cerimedo’s business partner, Javier Negre, a “serial falsifier of information,” claimed during CPAC 2025 that their disinformation platform, La Derecha Diario (The Right-Wing Daily), had been invited by far-right magnate Ricardo Salinas Pliego to ignite a “cultural battle” in Mexico:
It’s worth noting that Salinas Pliego, one of Mexico’s wealthiest individuals, has clashed repeatedly with the Sheinbaum administration over unpaid taxes and has ambitions to run for president in 2030; he also admits to having US citizenship. Should the constitutional reform pass, he would be ineligible to participate unless he renounces his citizenship.
The proposal has stirred reactions among certain Republican lawmakers in the US. Carlos A Jimenez, a figure associated with Miami’s “Gusano Industrial Complex,” criticized the reform as an attempt to stifle opposition in Mexico, warning that Sheinbaum risks ushering in a return to the era of the “perfect dictatorship,” referencing PRI’s uninterrupted 70-year rule.
The Mexican administration responded by questioning the concerns of US congressmen regarding a proposal that seeks to ensure that decisions impacting Mexico and its citizens are made solely by Mexican nationals. Some have highlighted the inherent contradiction, noting that Jimenez, as the only US congressman born in Cuba, cannot run for US president—an eligibility requirement necessitating natural-born citizenship.
[1] This pattern is evident in the broader context. As Sheinbaum pointed out in May, the US has failed to act on 269 extradition requests made by Mexico, leading to no transfers of the sought individuals and 36 formal denials from US authorities.
[2] For comparison, former Bogotá mayor and presidential candidate Enrique Peñalosa relinquished his US citizenship in 2014 prior to his failed presidential run, reasoning that a president should not owe allegiance to another nation. Former Peruvian president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski also renounced his US citizenship before assuming office.
[3] In the latest development around the Cerimedo scandal, which could potentially fracture the far-right in Latin America, Cerimedo “stands accused of colluding with narcos and employing one to orchestrate an attempted murder of his ex-partner and unborn child.”:
[I]n the days leading up to the attempt on Beller’s life, Cerimedo was in contact through chat with Lieutenant Colonel Erik Correa González, head of intelligence for Bolivia’s Special Anti-Narcotics Force, to coordinate the assault. Correa is under investigation for allegedly accepting bribes to overlook cocaine flights. Alongside attempted homicide charges, Cerimedo is also being scrutinized for illicit enrichment in connection to drug trafficking.
Every accusation is a testament.
