Background and Relevance
Querétaro, Qro. Seventy-six indigenous communities in Querétaro will receive 139.9 million pesos through the Fund for Contributions to Social Infrastructure for Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Mexican Communities (Faispiam). This allocation aims to fund essential infrastructure projects, such as water supply and drainage systems, decided upon by each community’s general assembly.
Who is Involved?
During a visit to Amealco de Bonfil, an indigenous municipality in southern Querétaro, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo handed over the Faispiam funds to the indigenous communities of the state.
Fund Distribution and Impact
For this year, nearly 13,000 million pesos have been budgeted for indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities nationwide. The funds are distributed based on population, poverty levels, and specific needs of each community.
The budget is delivered to the local assembly, which then forms an execution committee and a supervision committee. Additionally, women serve as treasurers to ensure transparency and accountability.
This allocation marks the first time a fourth level of budget has been established, directly for indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities. Previously, only federal, state, and municipal budgets were recognized.
Community Perspectives
Gloria Cruz Jurado, subdelegate of the Ejido San Juan Dehedó in Amealco de Bonfil, explained that her community decided to use the Faispiam funds for paving rural roads through their assembly.
“We are very happy that the money now goes directly to our communities, allowing us to use it appropriately and improve our living conditions, moving away from marginalization,” Cruz Jurado stated.
Fondo Beneficiaries
Adelfo Regino Montes, Director General of the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI), clarified that 176 communities from the Otomi, Pame, and Huasteco peoples will benefit from this fund. In Amealco alone, 39 communities will receive 43.1 million pesos.
Government Initiatives
Ariadna Montiel Reyes, Secretary of Well-being, emphasized that this year’s Faispiam budget amounts to 12,374 million pesos. So far, 20,000 communities across the country have received this resource.
Montiel Reyes added that the distribution of debit cards, capacity-building workshops on resource usage, and oversight of infrastructure projects will commence soon.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is Faispiam? Faispiam (Fund for Contributions to Social Infrastructure for Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Mexican Communities) is a budget allocation program designed to support indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities in Mexico by funding essential infrastructure projects.
- Who delivers the funds? Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo handed over the Faispiam funds to indigenous communities in Querétaro during her visit to Amealco de Bonfil.
- How are the funds distributed? The allocation considers population, poverty levels, and specific needs of each community. Funds are delivered to local assemblies, which then form execution and supervision committees with women treasurers for transparency.
- Which communities benefit from Faispiam? In Querétaro, 176 indigenous communities from the Otomi, Pame, and Huasteco peoples will receive funds. In Amealco alone, 39 communities are set to benefit.
- What projects will be funded? Essential infrastructure projects, such as water supply and drainage systems, will be funded based on each community’s needs decided through their general assembly.
