In the 16th century, Belgian tradespeople traveled to what would become Mexico. In 1537, Belgians began Mexico's first brewery. Starting in the 1830s, Belgian engineers worked in Mexico to build the first Mexican railroad with Belgian materials; there were even plans for a Nueva Bélgica, a colony to be built in Chihuahua. Diplomatic relations were started in 1825 when Mexico established consular relations with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Belgium became independent in 1830, and in 1838, representatives were sent to Mexico. The first consulate-level representatives were sent to Mexico in 1842. In 1861, both nations signed a Treaty of Friendship thus formally establishing diplomatic relations. In 1861, France, under Emperor Napoleon III, invaded Mexico. While the French were in Mexico, Emperor Napoleon III helped Maximilian and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium, succeed the throne in 1864. During the Battle of Tacámbaro on 11 April 1865, 300 Belgian Legion soldiers fighting for the Mexican Empire fought against Mexican Republicans. Several dozen Belgian soldiers were killed during the battle. When Emperor Maximilian I faced execution, Belgium instructed its representative, Hoorickx, to assist the Austrian ambassador's ultimately failed efforts to persuade the Mexicans to grant clemency. After the execution of Emperor Maximilian I in 1867, Belgium and Mexico would not establish diplomatic relations until 1879. In 1890 Belgium invested US$1.2 million to open a silver and copper mine in Michoacán. In 1900 Baron Moncheur, the Belgian Minister in Mexico, wrote a study of the conditions and resources of southern Mexican states while "contributing in great measure to the development of the commercial relations between Belgium and Mexico." In 1903 the National Railroad of Mexico, in which the Mexican Government had a large financial interest, opened a standard gauge line. The turning of the previous narrow gauge railroad into a standard gauge railroad was accomplished with 25,000 tons of rails from Belgium. By 1913 the National Railroad of Mexico was lobbying the government of Victoriano Huerta not to grant any further rights to the Belgian syndicate competing against them. Again in 1926 Belgium was shipping 1,000 tons of steel rails for the railroad. During World War II, Mexico closed its diplomatic legation in Brussels and moved its diplomatic staff to London where the Belgian government in exile was residing. In 1940 Belgian residents of Mexico supported Hubert Pierlot as Prime Minister of Belgium during the Nazi occupation. After the war, Mexico returned to having a resident diplomatic legation in Brussels and in 1954, both nations raised their diplomatic legations to embassies. That same year, Belgium opened its embassy in Mexico on June 5, 1954. In 1980, Mexican protesters peacefully occupied both the Belgian and Danish embassies to demand freedom for political prisoners and better living conditions for Mexicans. In 2018, the Brussels' Flower Carpet featured cultural elements from the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. Including symbolism from the Chupícuaro, Otomí and Purépecha cultures.
Pedro de Gante, who was active from 1523 to 1572, devised a catechism in rebus form. He organized a craft industry and art education and built hospitals for the native Mexicans.
Gustave Maryssael, an electrical engineer started SOFINA. In 1936 he was president of the Companía Mexicana the Luz y Fuerza Motriz and later director-general in 1962.
Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements such as a Treaty of Friendship, Navigation and Commerce ; Treaty of Trade and Shipping ; Extradition Treaty ; Agreement for Cultural Cooperation ; Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation and Prevent Tax Evasion in Taxes on Income and an Air Transportation Agreement.
In 1997, Mexico signed a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union. In 2018, two-way trade between both nations amounted to US$3.3 billion. Belgium's main exports to Mexico include: chemical based products; medicine and pharmaceutical products; and automobiles. Mexico's main exports to Belgium include: chemical based products, medical equipment, computers, automobiles, tractors and telephones. Belgian multinational companies such as Agfa-Gevaert, Janssen Pharmaceutica and Katoen Natie operate in Mexico. Belgian company Anheuser-Busch InBev owns a 50% share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer and owner of the global Corona brand.
