Criminal Code Reform

Congress received the Supreme Court's legal opinion on October 20 on two criminal-code reform packages aimed at strengthening the state's response to crime, with floor debate scheduled to begin on October 27.

Congress is advancing reforms to criminal codes that would allow gang-related tattoos—including numbers 13 and 18, letters MS, and associated symbols—to serve as evidence in prosecutions of members of MS-13, Barrio 18, and Cártel del Diablo, which were recently declared terrorist organizations.

The National Congress president says lawmakers are preparing major reforms to criminal and procedural codes—including no parole for members of designated terrorist groups and allowing prosecution based on gang tattoos alone—pending the Supreme Court's legal opinion.

Congress has sent proposed criminal-code reforms to the Supreme Court that would allow police to arrest suspected gang and cartel members and search homes without judicial warrants in high-risk zones, with prosecutors validating the actions afterward.

A government lawyer filed a constitutional challenge to criminal-code reforms that stiffen penalties for femicide, arguing the changes create gender inequality and could lead to job losses and weapons-registry inclusion for the accused.