← 1980 1979 1978 1981 in Mexico → 1982 1983 1984
Decades:	1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
See also:	History of Mexico List of years in Mexico Timeline of Mexican history

Events in the year 1981 in Mexico.

Incumbents

Federal government

• President: José López Portillo
• Interior Secretary (SEGOB): Enrique Olivares Santana (until November 30), Manuel Bartlett Díaz (starting December 1)
• Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SRE): Jorge Castañeda y Álvarez
• Communications Secretary (SCT): Emilio Mújica Montoya
• Secretary of Defense (SEDENA): Félix Galván López
• Secretary of Navy: Ricardo Cházaro Lara
• Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare: Pedro Ojeda Paullada
• Secretary of Welfare: Pedro Ramírez Vázquez
• Secretary of Public Education: Fernando Solana Morales
• Tourism Secretary (SECTUR): Rosa Luz Alegría Escamilla

Supreme Court

• President of the Supreme Court: Agustín Téllez Cruces

Governors

Events

• September 13 — By presidential decree, the Museo Nacional de las Intervenciones opens its doors in Churubusco.^[1]
• October 8 – Tropical Storm Lidia strikes 23 mi (37 km) south of Los Mochis, with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). Heavy rainfall associated with the cyclone caused moderate damage in northwestern Mexico, and at least seventy-three deaths can be attributed to the storm.^[2]
• November – The Unified Socialist Party of Mexico is founded by a merger of four parties.^[3]

Awards

• Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor – Luis Alvarez Barret

Film

• List of Mexican films of 1981.

Sport

• 1980–81 Mexican Primera División season.

Births

• June 7 — Enzo Fortuny, voice actor
• August 6 — José Ron, soap opera actor
• December 5 – Adan Canto, actor (d. 2024 in the United States)
• December 21 – Lynda Thomas, singer-songwriter and producer
• Date unknown — Miriam Rivera, transgender model (d. 2019).