The Mexican President spoke at the 109th anniversary of the 1917 Mexican Constitution, which was one of the most advanced social constitutions at its time, & inspired the Soviet constitution.

This article by Alonso Urrutia originally appeared in the February 5, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Querétaro, Querétaro. During the commemoration of the 109th anniversary of the Constitution, President Claudia Sheinbaum reaffirmed the defense of national sovereignty and emphasized that under no circumstances will foreign interventions or interference be accepted. “Mexico will not return to being a colony or protectorate of anyone. Mexico will never surrender its natural resources. Therefore, true to our history, we say with conviction: Mexico does not bend, does not kneel, does not surrender, and does not sell out!”

Before representatives of the other branches of government, Sheinbaum also affirmed that the country will not return to the regime of privilege and corruption established during the neoliberal period. In contrast to the reforms promoted under that model, which prioritized private interests over the public interest, she emphasized that now “the social purpose of the Constitution is being restored, the rights of the people are being reclaimed, and it is being reaffirmed that sovereignty is not negotiable, it is to be defended.”

The President criticized the neoliberal model because it returned the country to an exclusionary character similar to that which prevailed during the Porfiriato; it weakened social rights, privatized public resources, and normalized corruption. “They tried to erase the social dimension of the Constitution. Millions were once again marginalized, while a minority accumulated privileges. They tried to convince the country that sovereignty ‘was an obstacle’ and that the nation was an empty word.”

Sheinbaum asserted that, unlike the constitutions of 1824, 1857, and 1917, which emerged from grassroots movements and popular struggles, the 36 years of neoliberal policies saw the passage of reforms that were entirely unpopular, subservient to the people, and contrary to the public interest. “These were changes imposed from above and, in many cases, from abroad.”

Under that logic, essential articles were modified to legislate the sale of public companies, banks, communal lands and mines; concessions were granted in the areas of oil, electricity and telecommunications; railroads, ports, airports and even prisons were privatized, and free education was limited.

Profound Changes to Move Forward

Sheinbaum maintained that from September 2024 to December 2025, profound changes were implemented that restored the social purpose and national sovereignty enshrined in the Constitution. She reviewed the 20 legal and constitutional reforms with the greatest social impact, including the reform of the Judiciary that allows for the election of judges, magistrates, and ministers.

She also cited the incorporation of the National Guard into the Ministry of National Defense; the recognition, for the first time in independent history, of indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples as subjects of public law, guaranteeing their autonomy and collective rights; the reform of articles 25, 27 and 28, and their secondary laws, which reverse the energy modifications of 2013 and recover Pemex and the CFE as strategic public companies of the people of Mexico; as well as the changes to recognize the Welfare Programs as constitutional rights.

The Preisdent also highlighted the reforms against nepotism and immediate re-election in popularly elected positions, as well as the reform to the National Water Law to guarantee the human right to water as a natural resource of the nation.

Living Expressions of Popular Struggles

Recalling the four transformations the country has undergone, she noted that each left its mark on a Constitution, “not as a dead letter, but as a living expression of the people’s struggle. That is our history. That is our strength and that is our responsibility: to defend the homeland, to safeguard sovereignty, and to make social justice a reality.”

The President asserted that, despite what some might wish, Mexico cannot be understood without its noble, courageous, and hardworking people. Nor can it be understood without their constant struggle for sovereignty and independence, their solidarity with other nations, their love of justice, and their commitment to true democracy—the democracy that truly represents the people of Mexico.

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