The Mexican Constitution of 1917 is the current constitution of Mexico. It was drafted in Santiago de Queretaro during the Mexican Revolution. The constitution entered into force on February 5, 1917. ย
The constitution is somewhat socialist. Among other things, it regulates land divisions and has a strong separation between church and state. Some anticlerical items are no longer complied with nowadays.
Striking articles from the Mexican constitution are:
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Article 3 regulates education. Education is free and non-religious.
-Article 18 regulates the rights of suspects. According to this article, imprisonment serves as "social adjustment". In the US this law is seen as very 'soft'. Mexico is therefore a refuge for American criminals. Mexico basically refuses to extradite criminals who can receive the death penalty in the US.
-Article 22 prohibits "unusual or extreme penalties". In 2001, the Supreme Court ruled that life imprisonment should also be included, because lifelong prisoners cannot return to society, whereas, according to Article 18, that is the purpose of imprisonment. The death penalty has been officially prohibited since March 2005, although it had not been carried out since 1951.
-Article 27 regulates land ownership. Land ownership, especially by foreigners, is subject to strict conditions. This way nobody can own land on the coast. Petroleum may only be extracted by the state. Article 27 is by far the largest article, it occupies almost half the constitution.
-Article 115 prohibits serving more than one term for most public functions.
-Article 123 regulates the rights of workers. It regulates, among other things, an eight-hour working day, the right to strike, the right to one day off per week and compensation if someone is fired for no reason. This article put an end to peonage, a form of debt slavery.
-Article 130 regulates the separation of church and state. It stipulates that all religious institutions must be registered, and it prohibits priests from standing for public office.
