Mexico’s external public debt amounts to 5.2% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP); 30% of this debt comes from international financial institutions (IFIs) like the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (commonly known as the World Bank) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The loans that Mexico negotiates with IFIs are extremely important, as they are meant to contribute to the country’s economic and social development—and in this way, they are directly related the Mexican population’s well-being and quality of life. Moreover, Mexico is the third largest borrower of the World Bank (representing 9.2% of the bank’s overall portfolio) and the second largest borrower of the IDB (representing 18.82% of its portfolio). Access to information on these loans allows for a greater understanding of the way that public resources are spent, including the results achieved through the projects, programs, and policies financed with these loans.
This report attempts to clarify the legal framework that governs the flow and execution of Mexico’s development loans; the type information that is available on these loans; and which information, when requested, is supplied by the Mexican government. Our analysis focuses on the World Bank and the IDB because thy are the two main IFIs with which Mexico negotiates loans; additionally, they both have access-to-information policies through which it is possible to obtain information on the development projects that have been negotiated with Mexico. This allows us to contrast the information published by the banks with that provided by the Mexican government and, as a result, diagnose the level of transparency in the development loans that Mexico negotiates each year with these institutions.
Development Loans in Mexico: A Transparency Assessment by Fundar, Centro de Análisis e Investigación
– Consulta el Diagnóstico en español aquí
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