The nations of Mexico and Switzerland established diplomatic relations in 1945, however, both nations had established official contact in 1827.Bilateral relations between Mexico and Switzerland (in Spanish) Both nations are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations.
History Official contact between Mexico and Switzerland was established in 1827. That same year, Switzerland opened a diplomatic office in Mexico City. In 1832, both nations signed a treaty of Friendship and Commerce and Mexico opened a diplomatic office in Basel. In 1945, both nations officially established diplomatic relations and in 1946, Mexico opened a diplomatic office in Bern. In 1958, both nations elevated their diplomatic missions to embassies.
In 1990, Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari traveled to Geneva and Davos. Viaje de Salinas de Gortari (in Spanish) In November 2004, Swiss President Joseph Deiss traveled to Mexico, the first visit by a Swiss President. While in Mexico, President Deiss met with President Vicente Fox.Deiss en primera visita oficial a México (in Spanish) There have been several visits by leaders of both nations.
Switzerland maintains a high-level international profile due to it hosting several UN agencies and other international organizations in Geneva. Each year, the World Economic Forum is held in Davos and high-level Mexican officials, including on occasion the Mexican President; travel to Switzerland to meet with Swiss politicians and business persons.
In 2021, both nations celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations.México y Suiza: 75 años de amistad (in Spanish) In July 2026, Swiss President Guy Parmelin paid a visit to Mexico and met with President Claudia Sheinbaum to discuss depending trade relations between both nations.Presidente de Suiza, Guy Parmelin, visita México para reunirse con la presidenta Sheinbaum (in Spanish)
High-level visits
High-level visits from Mexico to SwitzerlandRelación Políticas México-Suiza (in Spanish)México participa en Cumbre para la Paz en Ucrania, celebrada en Suiza (in Spanish)
President Carlos Salinas de Gortari (1990) President Ernesto Zedillo (1998) President Vicente Fox (2001, 2003, 2004) President Felipe Calderón (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011) President Enrique Peña Nieto (2014) Foreign Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu (2016) Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena (2024)
High-level visits from Switzerland to Mexico
Foreign Minister Pierre Aubert (1984) Foreign Minister René Felber (1989) Economic Minister Jean-Pascal Delamuraz (1995) Economic Minister Pascal Couchepin (1998, 2000) President Joseph Deiss (2004) President Johann Schneider-Ammann (2013, 2016) President Guy Parmelin (2026)
Bilateral agreements Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements such as a Trade Agreement (1950); Memorandum of Understanding of Bilateral Cooperation (1991); Agreement on the Avoidance of Double-Taxation and Tax Evasion (1993); Agreement on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments (1995); Memorandum of Understanding on Economic Cooperation (1998); Agreement in Agriculture Cooperation (2000); Treaty on Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (2005); Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters (2008); Memorandum of Understanding on the Cooperation between the Mexican Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AMEXCID) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (2013); Agreement on Air Transportation (2016); Memorandum of Understanding in Health Cooperation (2016); Agreement regarding the Importation and Return of Cultural Property (2017) and an Agreement of Cinematographic Cooperation (2017).Bilateral agreements between Mexico and Switzerland (in Spanish)Relación Bilateral México-Suiza (in Spanish)
Education and diaspora Colegio Suizo de México, a Swiss international primary and secondary school in Mexico catering to expatriate Swiss families; has campuses in Cuernavaca, Mexico City, and Querétaro City."Colegio Suizo de México In 2020, approximately 6,000 Swiss citizens resided in Mexico.México y Suiza Celebran 75 años de Relaciones Diplomáticas (in Spanish)
Transportation There are direct flights between Cancún and Zürich with Edelweiss Air.
Trade relations In 2001, Mexico signed a free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association which includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. In 2023, two-way trade between Mexico and Switzerland amounted to US$3.4 billion.Data México: Switzerland Between 1999 and 2016, Swiss companies invested more than US$9 billion in Mexico.Inversion suizo en México (in Spanish) Several Swiss multi-national companies are based and operate in Mexico, such as Credit Suisse, Holcim, Nestlé, Novartis, Roche and UBS. Mexican multinational companies such as Cemex and Vitro operate in Switzerland. In 2022, Mexican company FEMSA acquired a 97.7% stake in Swiss company Valora.FEMSA completa la adquisición de Valora (in Spanish)
Resident diplomatic missions Mexico has an embassy in Bern.Embassy of Mexico in Bern Switzerland has an embassy in Mexico City.Embassy of Switzerland in Mexico City
See also Swiss Mexicans
Notes and references