The Maya Train: uncontrolled spending with environmental and social impact
The Maya Train began as a flagship project, but ended up becoming a bottomless pit.
Its initial cost was 197 billion pesos, but by the end of the six-year term, it skyrocketed to 544 billion pesos, a 176% increase.
Tren maya
This megaproject not only devastated ecosystems and communities, but also far exceeded its original budget, leaving doubts about the transparency and feasibility of the spending.
Despite the waste, the train's operation continues to present failures and its economic impact is far from justifying the investment.
Tren maya
The AIFA: an airport without flights and with a higher cost than projected
The Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) was sold as a cheaper option, but the reality is different.
Its construction cost 89 billion pesos, apparently less than expected, but the true hidden cost came with the cancellation of the Texcoco airport.
The cost of canceling Texcoco amounted to 146 billion pesos, which raised the total cost of the AIFA to 253.3 billion pesos.
Flights remain well below expectations, and airlines continue to prefer the AICM, leaving the AIFA as a white elephant.
Dos Bocas: the refinery that cost almost double and still doesn't operate at 100%
The Dos Bocas refinery is another example of the waste of the past six-year term.
Its original budget was 211 billion pesos, but it ended up costing 398 billion, almost double.
Despite the enormous investment, the refinery doesn't operate at 100% and still doesn't produce the promised gasoline.
The government justified the project by saying it would guarantee energy sovereignty, but the only certainty is the gigantic public spending it left in its wake.
The cost of mismanagement: billions that could have been used in key sectors
The total overcost of 673 billion pesos is equivalent to 336 times the budget for science and technology throughout the six-year term.
It also represents 8.7 times the investment budget of the agricultural sector, highlighting the government's misplaced priorities.
While astronomical figures were allocated to projects with dubious profitability, sectors like health, education, and security suffered cuts or remained stagnant.
The promise of "republican austerity" ended up being a myth, as expenses multiplied without control or transparency.
AMLO's legacy: inflated megaprojects with no clear results
The three major works of the past six-year term share a pattern:
Out-of-control costs.
Mediocre or incomplete results.
Lack of transparency in the resources used.
Far from being a transformation, López Obrador's government left a legacy of excessive spending with few benefits for the citizens.
The numbers don't lie: "austerity" only existed in the discourse, while in reality, billions were squandered without anyone being held accountable.
