Sheinbaum says nothing about the salary increase that federal deputies approved for themselves

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum completely distanced herself from the salary increase that federal deputies approved for themselves in the 2026 Budget.

During her morning press conference, the mayor made it clear that this decision “is now a matter for Congress” and that each branch of government must assume its own responsibilities.

The numbers speak for themselves: each legislator will go from earning 1,193,000 pesos net per year to $1,307,000 in 2026. That’s an increase of 113,739 pesos annually, more than a minimum-wage worker earns in an entire year.

The increase is 9.53%, almost triple the national inflation rate of 3.76%.

The irony is brutal. While Sheinbaum promised not to increase her own salary or that of her cabinet, the legislators authorized not only an increase in their monthly stipend, but also in their Christmas bonus (an additional 7,000 pesos), a new institutional life insurance policy worth 60,000 pesos, and an additional compensation of 67,000 pesos to cover the income tax on their bonus.

“Legislators should live within reasonable limits, and the people’s resources belong to the people. I don’t believe there should be privileges, and that power is about humility,” Sheinbaum declared.

However, she avoided directly confronting the legislators from her own party who voted in favor. Her message was clear but diplomatic: “It’s up to the legislators now.”

The contrast could not be more evident: the same Congress that approved new taxes for citizens and cuts to universities and culture, authorized an increase that represents an additional expenditure of 56.8 million pesos.

The false narrative of “republican austerity” crumbles when the legislators themselves decide they deserve privileges. Citizens demand consistency, but Congress seems deaf to its own rhetoric.

Source: OEM

The Mexico City Post