Simón Levy, a former Mexican government official, was reportedly detained in Portugal, according to a confirmation from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. The detention stems from two outstanding arrest warrants in Mexico, as reported by Reforma on October 30, 2025.
Sheinbaum stated during a press conference that the arrest occurred following cooperation with Interpol. “This person arrives in Portugal and is detained there, as that document indicates,” she said, adding that Levy’s dual nationality—Mexican and European—complicates the extradition process. Sheinbaum indicated that the Mexican Attorney General’s Office and the Attorney General of Mexico City are determining the next steps.
Levy himself disputed the reports of his arrest, claiming via social media that he was in Washington, D.C. However, Sheinbaum maintained that the detention was factual and not politically motivated, emphasizing the existence of two open investigations against him.
According to the Attorney General’s Office of Mexico City, the arrest warrants relate to separate cases. One stems from alleged environmental crimes and responsibility as a director for construction that violated federal regulations, dating back to December 2021. The second relates to accusations of threats and malicious damage to property following an incident that went viral on social media in November 2021. Levy allegedly failed to appear at seven judicial hearings between 2021 and 2025, leading to the issuance of the warrants.
Simón Levy previously served as the Undersecretary of Planning and Tourism Policy during the initial months of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration, as reported by Infobae. He is an attorney, a graduate of the UNAM, specializing in Foreign Trade, and is known for his business dealings with China, where he established the first Mexican company in Beijing and exported over ten products.
As of Friday, October 30, 2025, the status of the extradition request and Levy’s legal representation in Portugal remain unclear. The Fiscalía General de Justicia de la Ciudad de México (FGJCDMX) has not released further details regarding the specific charges or evidence supporting the arrest warrants.
