Nestor Jimenez and Dora Villanueva
Newspaper La Jornada
Monday, November 7, 2022, p. 3
The draft opinion on the Federal Expenditure Budget (PEF) for 2023 proposes cuts of 6 thousand 437 million 533 thousand 326 pesos, most of it to the National Electoral Institute (INE) and the Judicial Power, and reallocates those resources to programs social, such as pensions for the elderly and people with disabilities, care for victims and shelters for women victims of gender violence, among others.
Total federal spending is confirmed at 8 billion 299 thousand 647.8 million pesos, which represents a real increase of 11.6 percent compared to what was approved last year.
The Budget and Public Account Commission of the Chamber of Deputies is summoned today at 5:00 p.m. to discuss and vote on the opinion, with the aim of presenting it in plenary on Tuesday.
The project, which was distributed to legislators, reduces the INE 4 thousand 475 million 501 thousand 178 pesos, compared to the version of PEF presented in September by the Ministry of Finance, which included the INE request of 24 thousand 696 million pesos. pesos. The reduction represents almost 70 percent of the total cuts contemplated.
If the adjustment in the draft opinion is approved, the electoral body will have 20 thousand 221 million 367 thousand 571 pesos for the coming year, which exceeds the 19 thousand 736 million pesos approved in the PEF 2022.
The INE challenged this year’s departure before the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), arguing that its powers were compromised, mainly for the organization of popular consultations.
The draft opinion for 2023 also proposes a reduction of one thousand 425 million 136 thousand 515 pesos to the Judicial Power, compared to the Treasury proposal, most of it to the Federal Judiciary Council, which cuts one thousand 286.5 million pesos.
cameral justification
In an internal document of the Budget Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, it is explained that the reduction of resources for the INE does not affect the essential tasks of the body and, instead, seeks help to achieve stability in public finances
.
When arguing the reasons for the cut to the INE for 4 thousand 475 million pesos, it is stated that it is not feasible for this commission to notice the need for said institute to obtain the requested resources
. Add that The INE does not provide methodology or estimates that allow linking the objective information of technical origin with the amounts to which it refers.
.
Also, it criticizes that the INE continues without voluntarily reducing its budget proposals in recent fiscal years compared to other autonomous bodies, which attentive
against the constitutional criteria for the administration of federal resources.
Decrease to cameras, TEPJF and autonomous entities
466.6 million pesos are cut from the Legislative Power, of which 204 million are for the Chamber of Deputies and 140 million for the Senate.
122 million are cut from the Superior Audit Office of the Federation, 35.2 million from the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Power of the Federation, 33.5 million from the Federal Commission of Economic Competition, 17.9 million from the Federal Institute of Telecommunications and the National Institute of Transparency, Access to the Information and Protection of Personal Data (INAI) 18.6 million pesos.
Instead, the project reallocates the 6 thousand 437 million to social programs. For pensions for older adults, an increase of 3 thousand 841.9 million pesos is outlined, for pensions for people with disabilities an increase of 2 thousand 500 million is projected, for the care of victims there are 40.1 million and for the Well-being program Integral of the Indigenous Peoples, 7.7 million.
Other programs that would obtain an expansion are the Support for Specialized Shelters for Women Victims of Gender Violence, with 19.5 million; to promote care and prevent violence against women, 14.4 million pesos, and for the Support Program for Women’s Instances in the Federal Entities, 13.4 million pesos.
Federal deputies also plan to maintain the amounts established in the original PEF 2023 proposal for security, health and education. Given the reservations anticipated by the opposition benches, it is expected that its discussion in plenary session could require at least a couple of days.
