MEXICO CITY — Mexico has seen a further decline in its commitment to the rule of law, dropping four positions in the 2026 World Justice Project (WJP) ranking to finish 125th out of 143 nations analyzed.
The country received a score of 0.39 on the WJP index, where zero represents the weakest adherence to the rule of law and one represents the strongest. This marks a continuing downward trend for the nation; in the 2025 edition, Mexico ranked 121st with a score of 0.40, following a steady decline from a score of 0.48 in 2015.
Regional and Economic Standings
Mexico’s position within specific categories also reflects a downward trajectory. In the Latin America and Caribbean region, Mexico ranked 28th out of 32 countries compared to its 2025 standing. Furthermore, among the group of middle-high income countries, Mexico fell to 43rd out of 44, placing it just ahead of Iran—a notable decline from its 38th out of 41 position in the previous year.
Of the eight primary components that constitute the index, seven showed declines compared to 2025.
The Rise of Authoritarianism and Executive Overreach
The World Justice Project highlighted that authoritarianism is no longer an emerging trend but has become deeply rooted. According to the organization, more than 86% of countries have experienced a sustained five-year decline in at least one safeguard against authoritarianism—including limitations on government power, transparency, or fundamental rights. Mexico was explicitly cited as one of the countries facing this trend.
The organization noted that essential freedoms for civic space, public debate, and government oversight are shrinking in Mexico and across the majority of analyzed nations. Specifically, freedom of opinion and expression decreased in 64% of countries, freedom of assembly and association dropped in 67%, and citizen participation fell in 65%.
The report identified undue pressure and interference from the Executive Branch as the primary drivers of institutional decay in both civil and criminal justice systems. The WJP noted that civil justice weakened in 64% of countries and criminal justice in 58%, with government influence emerging as a central factor in both spheres. The judicial branch is also losing ground to executive overreach, with government powers limited by the judiciary decreasing in 63% of countries, including Mexico.
Areas of Improvement
Despite the broader decline, the World Justice Project noted some improvements in the accessibility and equality of civil justice across the surveyed nations.
Mexico showed notable progress in several specific areas, including:
- A 5.7% improvement in equal treatment and the absence of discrimination.
- A 2.7% improvement in the effective guarantee of fundamental labor rights.
- A 3.5% improvement in the processing of administrative procedures without unjustified delays.
Methodology
The World Justice Project Rule of Law Index is based on surveys conducted with experts and households to measure the rule of law in 143 countries and jurisdictions, covering approximately 95% of the world’s population. The tool utilizes over 215,000 household surveys and 3,400 surveys of legal professionals and experts to assess how the rule of law is experienced and perceived globally.
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