In recent years there has been an increase in cases of extortion of businessmenboth by groups of criminals and by government workers, organizations from the private sector.
The president of the Employers’ Confederation of the Mexican Republic (Coparmex)Juan José Sierra Álvarez said that extortion is growing steadily, more than 70% in the last decade.
He added that this situation makes it the second crime that most affects businessmen, only after the theft of merchandise.
In an interview during his visit to Coparmex Business Center of Jaliscothe leader of the employers’ union stated that the Confederation is in the task of conducting business surveys to prepare the report Data Coparmex and during the visit to the various centers of the organization they find the complaint that extortion rises.
“The complaints from businessmen, when I visit the centers and in some cities of some states, this issue of extortion of the authority in the interest of enforcing the law is happening and it becomes, for now, the largest of the extortionists,” added the businessman.
He stated that “the authority is becoming in some cities and states, it is the major extortionist And I think this is important to address, this crime that has grown and is worrying and is a requirement of the businessman.”
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He added that “it is important that the general law of punishment for extortion in the different states be attended to and harmonized. That the prosecutor’s offices open a extortion attention departmentwith trained people, the crime of extortion is fought with a lot of investigation based on complaints, it is the role that the businessman and society have to play, the issue of complaint”.
In this regard, the president of Council for the Development of Small Business and Family Business (ConComercioPequeño), Gerardo Cleto López Becerra, and the leader of the National Movement of the Social Contributor (Monacos)Alberto Vargas, said that approximately 40% of extortion cases that affect small merchants, businessmen and independent workers, as well as citizens in general, come from public officials and the remaining 60% from criminal organizations.
“If reporting programs are renewed and strengthened to eradicate illicit practices committed by public officials dishonest, as well as by organizations representing popular commerce that impose mandatory quotas for the right to work,” they added.
In a statement, they said that the initiative presented by the Head of Government in Mexico CityClara Brugada, –considering physical or moral violence and even coercive harassment as an aggravating circumstance– could have an impact at the national level and improve results in the fight against extortiona crime that seriously affects the life and assets of merchants and businessmen.
Although, López Becerra added that some measures were already implemented in previous administrations without effective results, because the complaints remain “trapped” in complex processes before the Public Ministry“instance currently overwhelmed by its workload and under the responsibility of the Attorney of Justice, Berta Mayor Luján.”
He stated that most of the actions remain promises, for example, he said that the complaints about looting of businesses in the Historic Center, On October 2, 2025, they recorded limited progress, since they were only given financial support to partially repair curtains and their money was returned. merchandise held as evidence, but those responsible remain free.
