It was recently revealed that the governor of Nuevo León, Samuel García, significantly increased the budget allocated to social communication in 2024. Although 360,728,144 pesos were initially approved for this area, the actual expenditure rose to 719,287,000 pesos, representing a 74% increase.
A million-dollar expenditure on daily promotion
This increase translates into an average expenditure of 1,970,649 pesos daily on promoting the governmental image.
Criticism has not been long in coming. The lack of transparency in the application of these resources and their contrast with the state needs have caused indignation.
Meanwhile, essential projects are left behind
Meanwhile, the state government allocated million-dollar figures to promoting Samuel García's image, Nuevo León faced shortages in priority areas.
Key projects, such as the lines 4 and 6 of the Monterrey Metro, were left unfunded. This situation caused discontent among the citizens. Many believe that these resources should have been invested in improving infrastructure and supporting the most vulnerable sectors of the state.
Excessive spending on social media
In addition to the budget allocated to social communication, Samuel García's administration has invested considerable sums in promoting his image on social media.
During his administration and electoral campaign, 27.6 million pesos were allocated to advertising on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. In the last two years, the total expenditure on digital advertising has risen to almost 50 million pesos.
Citizen indignation and complaints
Discontent among citizens has been increasing due to the evident prioritization of the governmental image over the state's essential needs.
Various civil organizations have filed complaints with the state Comptroller's Office about the opacity in the use of these resources. They demand to know the exact amount spent and the companies in charge of the advertisements. This is exacerbated in a context where Nuevo León faces urgent issues such as the water crisis.
The exorbitant increase in spending on advertising and personal promotion of Samuel García has caused a strong debate in the entity.
While essential projects and social programs suffer cuts or delays due to lack of resources, the state administration has prioritized investment in propaganda. For many, this confirms the disconnect between the government and the real needs of the population.
