Introduction to the New Platform
The Mexican government has launched a new National Open Data Platform (PNDA) to address long-standing issues of fragmented, broken links, and incompatible file formats that have made public data difficult to explore. Presented by the Digital Transformation and Telecommunications Agency (ATDT), this initiative aims to create an ecosystem that not only centralizes data but also ensures quality, backup, and immediate visualization.
Immediate Visualization of Data
When users select a resource, the system instantly displays interactive graphics and dynamic tables, responding to filters by federal entity, date range, or specific variables. This eliminates the need for citizens to download large datasets just to obtain a simple graph.
Download Options
- The complete resource in CSV, Excel, or JSON formats.
- The filtered subset, i.e., the portion resulting from applying search criteria.
Each resource includes a download button and a variables dictionary for data interpretation. This feature allows a journalist covering security in Guanajuato, for example, to obtain only the state’s records instead of processing millions of national rows.
APIs and Subscriptions
The PNDA is designed with developers and academics in mind. The portal allows access through APIs, making it easy to integrate information directly into applications or analysis systems without manual downloads. Additionally, the agency announced a future subscription system, enabling users to receive notifications when datasets they follow are updated.
Addressing Past Data Issues
One of the main problems with the previous platform was that links expired when institutions modified their pages. The PNDA aims to solve this by implementing a central repository that backs up each resource on the Digital Transformation Agency’s servers. This ensures that even if a secretariat moves or deletes its original file, the resource remains available on the PNDA.
Data Historical Migration
The team is also working on migrating historical data, aiming to rescue information from 2015. However, they acknowledge that not all data can be recovered, as older PDF or unstructured Excel files may not meet the new quality standards.
Data Publishers and Update Frequency
In this initial phase, the PNDA already compiles information from around 89 institutions. The goal is to reach approximately 300 federal administration units by mid-2026. Each dependency must designate an open data area with sufficient hierarchy to request information from internal directions, ensuring publication is not dependent on isolated wills.
The update frequency varies depending on the data source, with monthly, semi-annual, and annual datasets. The platform sends reminders to responsible institutions and performs automated validations before releasing a resource.
Remaining Challenges
Despite the technological leap provided by the PNDA, some challenges remain. Data quality still depends on each institution, and update delays may persist. Experts recommend always checking three elements: the last update date, the methodological definition of variables, and direct confirmation with the generating dependency in critical cases.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who publishes the data, and how often is it updated? In this first phase, the PNDA compiles information from around 89 institutions. The goal is to reach approximately 300 federal administration units by mid-2026. Each dependency must designate an open data area with sufficient hierarchy to request information from internal directions, ensuring publication is not dependent on isolated wills. The update frequency varies depending on the data source, with monthly, semi-annual, and annual datasets.
- How can users access the data? The PNDA allows access through APIs, making it easy to integrate information directly into applications or analysis systems without manual downloads. A future subscription system will enable users to receive notifications when datasets they follow are updated.
- What happens if a data source changes its website? The PNDA implements a central repository that backs up each resource on the Digital Transformation Agency’s servers, ensuring resources remain available even if a secretariat moves or deletes its original file.
