The National Electoral Institute (INE), the federal Attorney General’s office (FGR) and other autonomous bodies were the hardest hit in the 2020 budget following its approval by the lower house of Congress on Friday.

Deputies approved cuts to the original budget document totaling 4.18-billion-peso (US $216-million), affecting a number of government bodies.

The FGR had requested over 18 billion pesos for the 2020 fiscal year, but its budget was cut by 1.5 billion pesos, an 8.2% reduction.

The INE received similar news: its budget would be cut by 1.07 billion pesos, after having requested 12.5 billion pesos, an 8.6% reduction.

The biggest winner was the Secretariat of Welfare, which will have a budget of over 181 billion pesos after getting an increase of 8.36 billion pesos, 5% more than that of the original budget.

Other departments that received increases were the Secretariat of Finance (SHCP), the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) and the Secretariat of Agriculture (Sader).

National Action Party (PAN) Deputy Javier Azuara charged that the budget favored the president’s ruling Morena party, stating that 30% of social spending is destined to fight poverty in six states governed by Morena politicians.

This while the 11 Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) states will receive 19%, and the 10 PAN states only 11%.

“It’s a budget based on electoral politics,” said Azuara.

Among the budget’s 15 priority projects for 2020 is the improvement of the Palenque-Catazajá highway in Chiapas, noted for its proximity to the president’s home.

The budget set total government spending for 2020 at 6.1 trillion pesos (US $315 billion).

Sources: Reforma (sp)