Mexico's Hacienda, UIF, and Pemex Strengthen Fight Against Fuel Theft

Mexico's Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP), via its Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF), has joined forces with Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) in a new collaboration aimed at intensifying the fight against financial crimes and the illicit trade of stolen fuel, commonly known as 'huachicol'. The agreement was formalized through a joint statement released this afternoon.

This partnership seeks to bolster institutional coordination and implement timely, agile, and effective cooperation mechanisms to fulfill the mandates of all three public institutions. It builds upon existing efforts within the Inter-institutional Working Group against the Illicit Fuel Market, where financial intelligence and operational capabilities are already being integrated to identify networks involved in the theft and illegal sale of hydrocarbons.

The initiative is designed to detect the financial structures supporting these activities and contribute to dismantling the logistical, commercial, and economic chains that sustain them. Fuel theft and the smuggling of petroleum products have fueled extensive corruption networks across various government sectors, negatively impacting both Pemex's already strained finances and public revenues.

Under the agreement, Pemex will supply the UIF with crucial financial, economic, accounting, legal, and administrative data. This information will be vital for identifying and preventing illicit financial operations, acts of corruption, fraud, and hydrocarbon theft. In return, the UIF will share intelligence products with Pemex to enhance the identification, prevention, monitoring, and risk assessment related to Pemex's financial activities and those of its subsidiaries.

Both institutions also plan to collaborate on training initiatives focused on operational and strategic analysis. This cooperation aligns with the broader energy policy led by the Ministry of Energy, aiming to strengthen institutional capacity to detect and report potential corruption, fraud, and other misconduct affecting the energy sector and the nation's assets.