The Political Rights of Mexican Migrants: Nationality and Citizenship in Mexico

Abstract

This note explores the state of political rights of Mexicans living abroad. After multiple reforms to Mexican legislation, the political rights of Mexican migrants are still not fully protected. Absentee voting is the only political right Mexican migrants can exercise. The first reforms that granted Mexicans the possibility of retaining their nationality were the cornerstone for the following reforms on the implementation of absentee voting. It is important to understand explains the difference between citizenship and nationality in Mexican laws. The note gives a general overview of the lack of uniformity in the use of these two concepts in international practice. The note also invites us to reflect on the political rights mentioned in international instruments, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the American Convention of Human Rights. The issue of the full implementation of active and passive political rights of Mexicans living abroad remains unsolved despite the reforms made to Mexican legislation.