Autonomous bodies; numbers don’t lie | David Ordaz

David Ordaz

Climbing on a brick, almost all participants and sympathizers of the “Fourth Transformation” think and declare that the decisions made Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in the last six-year term and today continued (many of them) by the current government, they are based on numbers, not whims, revenge or ideologies. Nothing more false.

A few days ago Legislative branch approved the disappearance of several autonomous bodiescreated during the so-called “neoliberal period”, leaving a huge gap in terms of transparency and accountability and even jeopardizing Mexico’s role in the confidence of investors, companies and even the main trade agreement, the T-MEC.

Mexico has 11 autonomous bodies (National Institute of Access to Information and Data Protection (INAI); Federal Institute of Communications (St.IFT); Federal Commission on Economic Competition (Coffee); Energy Regulatory Commission (KRE); National Hydrocarbon Commission (a few days ago the legislature approved the liquidation of several autonomous organizations created during the so-called “neoliberal period”); National Electoral Institute (INE); National Human Rights Commission (NKND); He INEGI, FGR and Bank of Mexico (Bankico). Only the first 5 died out.

If we focus on the figures so vigorously defended by regime speakers, the reform approved for the autonomous bodies, compared to the budget allocated to the five institutions involved, amounts to 5.042 million pesos, representing 0.055% of total government expenditure. approved by the administration for 2024.

Based on the results of consideration of the draft resolution Federation Expenditure Budget For fiscal year 2024, INAI received 1,168 million 401 thousand 619 pesos; IFT received 1.680 million pesos; Cofece 774 million 53 thousand 396 pesos; CRE – 285 million 506 thousand 948 pesos and CNH – 247 million 551 thousand 341 pesos.

If we multiply this P5.042 million, considering that his budget was frozen for the entire six-year term, it comes out to P30.252 million.

Looking at the budget proposal for next year (2025), the departments that will suffer the most are: the resources of the Department of Defense will be 151,995 million pesos (43.8% less than in 2024); Ministry of Environment – 44,370 million pesos (39.4% less than in 2024); The Department of Security will receive P70.422 million (36.2% less than 2024) and the Department of Health will receive P66.693 million (34% less than 2024).

Now, if we consider that the Department of Defense is the most punished with 151.995 million pesos, its budget in one year is 5 times greater than what the disappeared autonomous bodies would have received in the entire six-year period. This is the extent of the absurdity approved by the Legislative Assembly.

To be more conversational, numbers are not the reason. This is the whim of a movement led by a man who has always feared transparency and accountability.