Overview of the 2026 Economic Package and Technology Budgets
For the 2026 Economic Package, the Executive proposes a budget deficit equivalent to 3.6% of GDP, which translates to an estimated public debt of 52.3% of GDP. This is $46.1 billion pesos more than the previous year.
The proposed budget estimates public revenues around $5.8 billion and an estimated expenditure of $9.2 billion. Compared to the previous year, projected revenues are higher by $383.9 billion pesos, and the net total expenditure is higher by $566.2 billion pesos.
Concerns Over New Regulatory Bodies
It is concerning that the budgets for new bodies responsible for regulating and issuing competition policy in the telecommunications sector, such as the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT) and the National Antimonopolies Commission, have not yet been allocated. This is due to the pending appointment of their full commissioners and, consequently, their budgetary existence. The IFT and COFECET will be eliminated, hence they lack budget allocations.
Increased Budget for the Digital Transformation and Telecommunications Agency (ATDT)
The ATDT’s budget is projected to rise from $3.01 billion approved for 2025 to $3.85 billion proposed for 2026, a real annual increase of 22.1%. This budget increment does not seem to include funding for the CRT, as it’s a decentralized entity of the ATDT. However, it does align with the agency’s multiple responsibilities, including digitalizing procedures, regulatory improvement, universal connectivity policy, and aspects of the national satellite policy.
Impact on Other Budgets
The ATDT’s budget gain affects the Subsecretariat of Communications and Transportation, as many connectivity policies fall under the agency’s purview. If approved, this subsecretariat would lose 48.4% compared to the previous budget.
Financiera para el Bienestar (FINABIEN), which provides socially-focused financial services through telecommunications under the Secretariat of Hacienda and Public Credit (SHCP), sees an annual increase of 36.8%, reflecting the Executive’s priority on services that facilitate connacional reception of remittances.
The Mexican Postal Service (SEPOMEX) shows a 24.9% budget increase, potentially leading to improvements in the state’s package delivery services, crucial for an economy demanding more of these services post-disruption in the logistics industry by companies like Amazon, Alibaba, and Mercado Libre.
Emphasis on Technology in Public Security
The 17.9% increase to the National Information Center, Platform Mexico, underscores the current administration’s focus on leveraging technology for public security matters.
Mixed Bag for Public Media and Education Programs
Public media, crucial for cultural, educational, and informational dissemination, collectively received a 4% cut. However, this is not uniformly distributed; the Mexican State Radio and Television System (SPR) and Radio Educación received real increases of 14% and 4.2%, respectively, while Canal 11, Canal 22, and the Mexican Radio Institute experienced cuts of 14.6%, 7.2%, and 2.3%, respectively.
Notable Budget Cuts
One of the most striking budget cuts is to aprende.mx, an educational public sector program, which saw an 82.3% decrease. This could be linked to the government’s diminished emphasis on producing and disseminating educational materials post-pandemic.
New Taxes Introduced
The 2026 Economic Package introduces new taxes: an 8% VAT on violent video games, estimated to generate $183 million pesos, and a 50% VAT on online betting games.
Strategic Focus of the 2026 Economic Package
The 2026 Economic Package reflects a strategy to strengthen the state’s role in key sectors linked to digital transformation, financial services, and logistics. The increased resources for ATDT, FINABIEN, and SEPOMEX aim to centralize capabilities around digitalization, financial inclusion, and goods distribution—strategic areas for economic and social development.
Questions on Public Media and Digital Education Policies
- Question: Answer: The budget deficit is proposed to be 3.6% of GDP, equivalent to an estimated public debt of 52.3% of GDP.
- Question: Answer: Concerns exist because the budgets for these bodies, such as the CRT and National Antimonopolies Commission, have not been allocated yet due to pending appointments of commissioners.
- Question: Answer: The ATDT’s budget gain affects the Subsecretariat of Communications and Transportation, as many connectivity policies fall under the agency’s purview. FINABIEN also sees an increase, reflecting priority on services that facilitate remittance reception.
- Question: Answer: While some public media entities like SPR and Radio Educación received increases, others like Canal 11, Canal 22, and the Mexican Radio Institute experienced cuts. The overall 4% reduction for public media raises questions about the continuity of cultural dissemination and educational innovation policies.
- Question: Answer: The package introduces an 8% VAT on violent video games and a 50% VAT on online betting games.
