Introduction to the Growth of Mexico’s Middle Class
Jesús Ramírez Cuevas, the Coordinator of Communication and Spokesperson for Mexico’s federal government, announced on Friday that Mexico and Brazil were the Latin American countries with the most significant growth in their middle classes since 2018. This development occurred following the arrival of Mexico’s “Cuarta Transformación” (Fourth Transformation) administration.
Defining Middle Class and Poverty Levels
Ramírez Cuevas clarified that, according to the Banco Mundial’s measurements, the middle class comprises individuals earning more than $17 per day (approximately 340 Mexican pesos), while those earning less than $8.30 per day (166 Mexican pesos) are considered to be in poverty.
Poverty Reduction and Middle Class Expansion
According to data presented during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s “Mañanera del Pueblo” (People’s Morning) conference, poverty due to income in Mexico decreased from 35.5% of the population in 2018 to 21.7% in 2024, a reduction of 13.6 percentage points.
Ramírez stated that approximately 12 million Mexicans joined the middle class during this period. These figures align with national Inegi (National Institute of Statistics and Geography) measurements, which report a poverty reduction from 41.9% in 2018 to 29% in their latest assessment.
Historical Milestone: Middle Class Surpasses Poverty
Ramírez emphasized that, for the first time in Mexico’s history, the percentage of people in the middle class is greater than those living in poverty.
Key Questions and Answers
- What does the growth of Mexico’s middle class signify? It indicates that more people have access to better-paying jobs and improved living standards, reducing income-based poverty.
- Who made the announcement about this growth? Jesús Ramírez Cuevas, the Coordinator of Communication and Spokesperson for Mexico’s federal government, announced the news.
- What are the income thresholds for defining middle class and poverty in Mexico? The middle class comprises individuals earning more than $17 per day (approximately 340 Mexican pesos), while those earning less than $8.30 per day (166 Mexican pesos) are considered to be in poverty, according to the Banco Mundial’s measurements.
- How much has poverty reduced in Mexico since 2018? Poverty due to income in Mexico decreased from 35.5% of the population in 2018 to 21.7% in 2024, a reduction of 13.6 percentage points.
- How many Mexicans have joined the middle class? Approximately 12 million Mexicans have transitioned into the middle class since 2018.
- Why is this growth significant? For the first time in Mexico’s history, the middle class now outnumbers those living in poverty, signaling improved socio-economic conditions for a larger portion of the population.
