Mexico’s Bilateral Extradition Treaties
When the country requesting extradition has a bilateral extradition treaty with Mexico, the treaty framework takes precedence over domestic law. Mexico has signed extradition treaties with over 30 countries, making treaty-based extradition the primary mechanism for most international cases.
Each treaty defines its own procedural requirements, extraditable offenses, mandatory and discretionary grounds for refusal, and timelines. Understanding the specific treaty that governs your case is critical — defenses available under one treaty may not exist under another, and procedural mistakes can be fatal to a defense strategy.
Treaty-Based vs. LEI Extradition
The key differences between treaty-based and LEI-based extradition are summarized below:
| Factor | Treaty-Based Extradition | LEI Extradition (No Treaty) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Bilateral treaty between Mexico and the requesting state | Ley de Extradicion Internacional (1975) |
| Applicable when | Treaty exists and covers the offense | No treaty exists, or treaty does not cover the situation |
| Extraditable offenses | Defined by the treaty (usually by minimum penalty or enumerated list) | Dual criminality with minimum 1-year average sentence |
| Reciprocity | Built into the treaty obligation | Discretionary — Mexico may require reciprocity guarantees |
| Diplomatic assurances | Treaty may specify required assurances | SRE may request ad hoc assurances |
| Timelines | Specified in the treaty (varies by country) | 60-day provisional arrest limit; overall timeline flexible |
| Political offense exception | Usually included in the treaty | Mandatory under Article 5(V) of the LEI |
| Death penalty prohibition | Usually addressed in the treaty | Mandatory under Article 6 of the LEI |
| Appeal mechanism | Amparo available in all cases | Amparo available in all cases |
Complete List of Mexico’s Extradition Treaties
The following table lists all countries with which Mexico has signed bilateral extradition treaties, including the year of entry into force and a link to the full treaty text where available.
| Country | Treaty Name / Reference | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Treaty on Extradition between Mexico and the United States of America | 1978 | PDF unavailable |
| Spain | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Espana | 1978 | PDF unavailable |
| Canada | Treaty on Extradition between Mexico and Canada | 1990 | PDF unavailable |
| United Kingdom | Treaty on Extradition between Mexico and the United Kingdom | 1886 | PDF unavailable |
| France | Convention d’Extradition entre le Mexique et la France | 1994 | PDF unavailable |
| Italy | Trattato di Estradizione tra Messico e Italia | 1899 | PDF unavailable |
| Brazil | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Brasil | 1938 | PDF unavailable |
| Colombia | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Colombia | 1937 | PDF unavailable |
| Guatemala | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Guatemala | 1997 | PDF unavailable |
| Cuba | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Cuba | 1928 | PDF unavailable |
| El Salvador | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y El Salvador | 1997 | PDF unavailable |
| Costa Rica | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Costa Rica | 1997 | PDF unavailable |
| Panama | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Panama | 1997 | PDF unavailable |
| Nicaragua | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Nicaragua | 1997 | PDF unavailable |
| Honduras | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Honduras | 1997 | PDF unavailable |
| Belize | Treaty on Extradition between Mexico and Belize | 1988 | PDF unavailable |
| Netherlands | Verdrag betreffende Uitlevering tussen Mexico en het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden | 1909 | PDF unavailable |
| Belgium | Convention d’Extradition entre le Mexique et la Belgique | 1938 | PDF unavailable |
| Australia | Treaty on Extradition between Mexico and Australia | 1990 | PDF unavailable |
| South Korea | Treaty on Extradition between Mexico and the Republic of Korea | 1996 | PDF unavailable |
| Argentina | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Argentina | 2019 | PDF unavailable |
| Chile | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Chile | 2017 | PDF unavailable |
| Peru | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Peru | 2000 | PDF unavailable |
| Ecuador | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Ecuador | 2019 | PDF unavailable |
| Dominican Republic | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y la Republica Dominicana | 2015 | PDF unavailable |
| Paraguay | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Paraguay | 2019 | PDF unavailable |
| Uruguay | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Uruguay | 2018 | PDF unavailable |
| Bolivia | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Bolivia | 2013 | PDF unavailable |
| Venezuela | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Venezuela | 2015 | PDF unavailable |
| Portugal | Tratado de Extradicion entre Mexico y Portugal | 2000 | PDF unavailable |
| India | Treaty on Extradition between Mexico and India | 2007 | PDF unavailable |
| Jamaica | Treaty on Extradition between Mexico and Jamaica | 2019 | PDF unavailable |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Treaty on Extradition between Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago | 2019 | PDF unavailable |
Note: Mexico is also party to multilateral conventions that contain extradition provisions, including the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo Convention), the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (Merida Convention), and the Inter-American Convention on Extradition (Montevideo, 1981). These multilateral instruments can supplement or, in some cases, serve as the legal basis for extradition.
Understanding which treaty governs your case is the first step in building an effective defense. Each treaty has unique provisions that experienced counsel can use to your advantage.
