Mexico: Oil Nationalization and the Creation of PEMEX (1938–1960)

1. Constitution asserts national ownership of subsoil resources

   Feb 5, 1917Labels: Mexican Constitution, Article 27

   • Mex Law

2. Oil labor dispute escalates into national crisis

   Mar 1, 1938Labels: Oil workers, Foreign oil

   • AP News

3. Cárdenas orders expropriation of foreign oil properties

   Mar 18, 1938Labels: L zaro, Expropriation Decree

   • State Dept
   • Britannica

4. Presidential decree creates Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX)

   Jun 7, 1938Labels: Petr leos, Presidential decree

   • PEMEX History
   • Britannica

5. PEMEX begins operations in the expropriated industry

   Jun 20, 1938Labels: PEMEX, Operations takeover

   • State Dept
   • Oil Exprop

6. International pressure and marketing difficulties follow expropriation

   Jan 1, 1939Labels: International pressure, Market access

   • State Dept
   • TIME

7. Mexican Supreme Court upholds legality of expropriation

   Dec 2, 1939Labels: Mexican Supreme, Judicial ruling

   • State Dept
   • Oil Exprop

8. U.S.–Mexico claims settlement framework advances compensation process

   Nov 19, 1940Labels: U S, Claims framework

   • State Dept
   • State Dept

9. New petroleum law reinforces federal control of the industry

   Jun 18, 1941Labels: Petroleum Law, Federal jurisdiction

   • Antorcha
   • Oil Exprop

10. PEMEX starts building new state-owned refining capacity

    Jan 1, 1943Labels: Refining expansion, Salamanca project

    • RIAMA

11. Salamanca refinery begins operations under PEMEX

    Jul 30, 1950Labels: Salamanca refinery, PEMEX-built

    • RIAMA

12. State oil control becomes durable national economic institution

    Jan 1, 1960Labels: State oil, Economic institution

    • Britannica
    • PEMEX Context