▲ Electric cars with national technology and manufacturing are a government objective.Photo Presidency
Laura Poy Solano
La Jornada Newspaper
Wednesday, October 8, 2025, p. 18
Although the federal government establishes at least nine strategic technological development and scientific innovation projects for 2026, the resources budgeted for the sector report an increase of only 1,565 million pesos compared to what was approved for this year.
According to the draft Federal Expenditure Budget (PPEF) 2026, the funds would increase from 33,295 to 34,860 million pesos; that is, just over 4.7 percent.
Major cut
However, to the specific category of National Strategic Programs Science, Technology and Linkage with the Social, Public and Private Sector, it is expected to allocate 691.8 million, while this year it spent 1,451.9 million pesos; That is, there is a drop of 760.1 million pesos.
As for the 26 Public Research Centers (CPI) attached to the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation (Secihti), just over 7 billion pesos will be allocated, as well as 1.5 billion pesos to the Rosario Castellanos National University, which coordinates the aforementioned federal agency.
Budget branch 38, which integrates federal funds for the Secihti, created by the current administration, establishes in its programmatic strategy for 2026: its main function is to “guarantee the constitutional right of every person to enjoy the benefits of the development of science, humanistic progress and technological innovation”, as stated in the third constitutional article.
It points out that the secretariat “works to build an educational, humanistic and scientific republic”, for which it promotes, among other actions, a portfolio of strategic technological development and innovation projects in priority sectors.
Among them, the design of a compact electric car with national technology and manufacturing called Olinia; as well as the national semiconductor initiative, Kutsari; the promotion of sargassum management, and the strengthening of the lithium value chain.
Although the goal is to make Mexico a “scientific and innovation power,” the resources proposed to be allocated to strategic areas, such as postgraduate scholarships and quality support, will barely exceed the impact of inflation, since they will go from 14,302 to 14,879 million pesos, which represents an increase of only 577 million pesos; that is, just over 4 percent.
The same occurs with the National System of Researchers (SNII), a mechanism to offer incentives to high-level scientists, and whose funds will increase by just over 4 percent, as they will go from 8,814 million approved for 2025, to 9,170 million pesos, which would imply an increase of 356 million pesos.
Another item that will have a decrease, according to the PPEF 2026, is Design and Evaluation of Policies in Science, Technology and Innovation, which will go from 1,685.7 to 1,619.3 million pesos.
With regard to the administrative axes, the Secihti programmatic strategy states that “the efficient use of public resources allocated to the activities of the branch will be prioritized”, in order to offer a “congruent service” with the needs of the beneficiaries of the agency’s programs and actions.
