Mexico Drafts Protocol to Repatriate Cultural Heritage from Abroad
The Government of Mexico is actively developing a protocol to coordinate the recovery and repatriation of Mexican cultural property currently located abroad. This initiative also aims to strengthen institutional efforts against the illicit trafficking of heritage. The Secretariat of Culture, through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE), and UNESCO, are collaborating on this document, known as the Protocol for the Repatriation and Recovery of Cultural Property. The second working workshop for this protocol was held on November 4, 2026, at the National Museum of History in Chapultepec Castle. Officials and specialists from the involved institutions participated, emphasizing the need for close collaboration to establish effective protection and repatriation mechanisms. The protocol will address various scenarios, including sales, auctions, seizures, confiscations, forfeitures, and voluntary handovers of cultural property.
