Mexico Recovers 2,158 Archaeological and Historical Documents in 2025

• Private individuals voluntarily returned the objects to Mexico's embassies and consulates in Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States
• The Legal Office of the Foreign Ministry has delivered 1,843 objects to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and the National Archives

Recovering Mexican cultural heritage located abroad is a priority of the Mexican government, and these efforts led to the return of 2,158 cultural objects of archaeological, historical, artistic, and documentary value this year alone.

The efforts of Mexico's embassies and consulates abroad led private individuals, academic institutions and museums to voluntarily return the objects. This success also reflects strong cooperation with countries including Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands and the United States.

The Legal Office of the Foreign Ministry has formally transferred 1,843 objects this year to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and the National Archives, which are legally authorized to protect, conserve, and safeguard them.

These actions reflect the priority placed by President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration on recovering Mexico's historical heritage, and its commitment to preserving the country's cultural inheritance, promoting Indigenous community rights, and combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property.

All the pieces represent invaluable testimony to the richness of our native peoples and contribute to the study and deeper understanding of pre-Hispanic cultures in our country.

Under the leadership of Foreign Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Mexican diplomacy pursues a comprehensive state policy-legal and cultural-focused on more than just repatriating what was taken. The goal is to protect, conserve and return that heritage to the people as public property, where it regains life, meaning, and belonging.