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Morena Deputies Award Themselves 10,000 Pesos Each as 'Sunday' Bonus
🇲🇽 Mexico /Economy & Trade

Morena Deputies Award Themselves 10,000 Pesos Each as 'Sunday' Bonus

From El Universal · (6m ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Mexican federal deputies from the Morena party received an additional 10,000 pesos each via electronic vouchers before a legislative recess.
  • This bonus, totaling over 2.5 million pesos for the Morena bloc, is equivalent to more than a month's minimum wage in Mexico and does not require proof of expenditure.
  • Critics have labeled the payment an unjustified self-gift, especially considering deputies already earn between 150,000 and 200,000 pesos monthly, plus benefits.

While citizens struggle to make ends meet, Mexico's federal deputies, particularly those from the ruling Morena party, have apparently decided to treat themselves to a little extra cash. A recent report from EL UNIVERSAL reveals that Morena legislators received a 10,000 peso "economic support" payment just before their legislative break, distributed via electronic vouchers.

This "gift," as some are calling it, amounts to more than a full month's minimum wage in Mexico, a stark contrast to the financial realities faced by the average Mexican worker. The Morena bloc alone spent over 2.5 million pesos on this bonus, which, crucially, does not require any receipts or justification for its use. This lack of accountability has fueled public anger and accusations of a self-serving handout.

the "gift" that the legislators gave themselves, literally, more than a worker earns in a full month of full-time work.

— El UniversalHighlighting the disparity between the bonus and the average worker's salary.

It's important to remember that these deputies already enjoy a comfortable financial situation. Their base salary, or "legislative diet," is around 79,846 pesos per month, supplemented by various allowances for legislative assistance, citizen attention, transportation, and lodging. This brings their monthly earnings to an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 pesos, not to mention a substantial year-end bonus and taxpayer-funded life insurance. The latest bonus, therefore, appears to be an unnecessary and unjustified perk, further widening the gap between the political elite and the general populace. From the perspective of EL UNIVERSAL, this action by Morena deputies is not only fiscally questionable but also a significant blow to public trust.

the fact that it is delivered in electronic wallets and without oversight has been qualified by critics and citizens as an unjustified self-gift

— El UniversalDescribing the public's negative reaction to the bonus.
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Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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