Mexico's President Ends Term with Contradictory Policies of Austerity and Generosity

López Obrador cuts public services while granting lavish benefits to political supporters and allies.

Outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced $95 million in unearned pension benefits for an electrical workers’ union three days before leaving office.
López Obrador previously gave $45 million to former workers of the defunct Mexicana de Aviación airline, whose pensions were wiped out by the company’s collapse.
Despite his image of extreme austerity, López Obrador has spent hundreds of millions on personal projects, including reviving a smaller version of Mexicana de Aviación.
His policies have led to significant cuts in federal oversight, infrastructure funding, and local police financing, while increasing national debt and budget deficits.
In his final days, López Obrador expropriated a $1.9 billion property from a U.S. company and engaged in public disputes with business magnate Ricardo Salinas Pliego over back taxes.