Mexico Antitrust Regulator Nears Landmark Google Advertising Monopoly Ruling

Mexico's Federal Economic Competition Commission (Cofece) is expected to issue a landmark ruling by June 17 on whether Google established an illegal monopoly in the country's digital advertising market. The ongoing investigation, which began in 2020 and entered its trial phase in 2023, alleges that Google abused its dominant position, potentially exposing the company to a fine of up to 8% of its annual revenue in Mexico, which could amount to tens of millions of dollars. Cofece has obtained Google's financial data from Mexico's tax authority to assess the case, and an oral hearing was held on May 20 as part of the final procedural steps. The decision could set a significant precedent for digital competition enforcement across Latin America and comes amid similar global scrutiny of Google's advertising practices, including U.S. legal actions accusing Google of maintaining unlawful monopolies. If Cofece rules against Google, the company may seek an injunction to delay enforcement pending court review. Neither Google nor Cofece has publicly commented on the case, which may result in one of the largest fines ever imposed by the Mexican regulator.