Background on Ricardo Monreal and His Role
Ricardo Monreal Zentella is a prominent Mexican politician, currently serving as the president of the Junta de Coordinación Política (Jucopo) and coordinator of Morena, one of Mexico’s major political parties. As the head of the Jucopo, Monreal plays a crucial role in shaping and coordinating the legislative agenda for Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies.
Budget Drafting Process and Timeline
The Comisión de Presupuesto y Cuenta Pública (Budget and Public Account Committee) of the Chamber of Deputies began working on the 2026 Federal Budget proposal starting Wednesday. By nightfall, the budget draft was distributed to all parliamentary groups and members of the Budget Committee.
- The committee aims to discuss the budget in general on Tuesday, November 3.
- Detailed discussions will follow on Wednesday, with further refinements expected on Thursday and Friday.
- The committee expects to finalize the budget by the following week.
Proposed Budget Adjustments
Initially, Morena announced a reallocation of over 17,000 million pesos. However, Ricardo Monreal later clarified that the adjustments would involve cuts of up to 17,000 million pesos from autonomous entities, redirecting funds to four key areas: education, infrastructure, environment, and culture.
Monreal also mentioned that certain sectors would experience budget reductions, including the Legislative Power (both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies), the Judicial Power, and the National Electoral Institute (INE). The cultural sector’s budget would also be reduced.
No Immediate Modifications in the Draft
Monreal clarified that, although there are planned adjustments, the budget draft currently circulating among deputies has no modifications. He explained that general amounts have been established, but specific adjustments need to be made to the annexes. These changes are expected to be presented in the committee and plenary sessions the following week.
Budget Discussions and Legal Compliance
Monreal emphasized that there will be no exceptions to the application of budgetary law during the analysis of this proposal. He assured that all necessary procedures will be followed, ensuring a thorough and compliant budget process.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the current status of the 2026 budget draft? The draft has been distributed to all parliamentary groups and members of the Budget Committee, with no immediate modifications. Adjustments are expected to be presented in upcoming committee and plenary sessions.
- What are the proposed budget adjustments? There will be reductions in several areas, including the Legislative Power, Judicial Power, INE, and a cultural sector budget cut. Funds will be redirected to education, infrastructure, environment, and culture.
- When will the budget be finalized? The committee aims to finalize the 2026 budget by the following week, after detailed discussions and adjustments.
- Will there be any exceptions to the budgetary law? Monreal confirmed that there will be no exceptions, and all necessary procedures will be followed to ensure a compliant budget process.
