Mexico’s federal government has formally ended the program that allowed the regularization of so-called “chocolate cars,” or used vehicles imported irregularly from the United States and Canada. The move met strong support from the automotive industry, which for years has argued the measure distorted the market and encouraged contraband. The agreement was repealed through a decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF).
The decree reverses a motion issued in November that had extended the program through December 2026, effectively closing a scheme launched in 2022 under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. According to the decree, the program enabled the regularization of 2.99 million vehicles as of Nov. 25, 2025, based on data from the Public Vehicle Registry.
Guillermo Rosales, President, Mexican Association of Automotive Dealers (AMDA),…
