As in any democracy, one of the most important exercises in the middle of a presidential term has always been evaluation; that is to say, the moment to ask oneself in a serious and responsible way: how are we doing? What has been achieved? and, above all, what remains to be done? But in this upside-down country, accountability, the duty of every republican authority, became a festival, a campaign event, a massive event to celebrate the unfulfilled promises and a false reality of the Mexico we live in.
The proofs of this false reality are in the figures; That is why today I want to show you evidence of the three great failures of this Government.
First. The economic failure.
Despite having promised to raise economic growth at a rate of 4% annually, the reality is that in the last three years we have continued to decrease (average 2019-2021 -1.05%). In fact, recently the Bank of Mexico estimated that, if this trend continues, growth by the end of the six-year term will be the lowest that has been recorded since the 1980s.
Inflation could become one of the highest in the last 20 years, essential products of the basic basket have increased by more than 70% such as fruits, vegetables, edible oil and a kilo of chicken, among many others. Needless to say, about fuels, gasoline that they promised to drop, which in the last 10 months alone has increased more than 15%.
In addition, his promise not to indebt the country more was forgotten. Today, almost 3 trillion pesos more have been added to the total public debt, including that of Pemex, which despite its millionaire annual losses, continues to be the most indebted oil company in the world and also the one that benefits the most from our taxes.
Second. Social failure.
According to official figures from CONEVAL, more than 6 million Mexicans passed into the ranks of poverty; more than 10 million have lost their jobs; almost 52 million suffer from working poverty, that is, they cannot afford to buy a basic food basket; and more than 35 million Mexicans have been left without access to health services in the midst of the pandemic.
Today Mexico is the fourth country with the most deaths from Covid-19, public investment in the matter has fallen almost 40% and problems such as the shortage of medicines continue to be the order of the day.
Third. The failure in security.
The policy of hugs not bullets has brought the bloodiest six-year term of the modern era to our country, the red figures exceed the sum of the Calderón and Peña administrations. According to official data, in just 3 years, there have been 28 massacres in different states where dozens of people have died, more than 100,000 homicides have been committed, almost 3,500 kidnappings and approximately 8,000 femicides; Numbers that are merely estimates since around 93% of crimes in Mexico remain unreported.
I have said it and I reiterate it, to correct it, you must first assume. Mexico still has time to correct the mistakes of the past, but there must be will and a lot of responsibility. There are 3 years left, enough to straighten the course of the ship, if what really mattered were the well-being of Mexicans.
Twitter: @PerezSoraya
Economist
Between numbers
Former President of the Federation of Associations of Economists of the Mexican Republic AC
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx