Mexico will bolster science funding in 2018

Mexico's Present Enrique Peña Nieto

has resolved that 2018 will be the year to improve the country's standing in science. Science will have a 7.1% rise compared to this year's budget according to the Annex 12 which corresponds to Science, Technology, and Innovation .

On Friday, Mexico’s Congress gave final approval to the Federal Budget for 2018 with authorized spending totals MXN$ 5.28 trillion , up MXN$ 43.29 billion from the original draft.

The budget for Science, Technology, and Innovation will approach MXN$ 91 billion from which MXN$ 31 billion will be for the National Council for Science and Technology ( Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología abbreviated Conacyt ), the country’s main research funding agency representing a 1.4% rise compared to this year, yet compared to 2016 , it represents an 18.03% decrease .

Even thought that this year Mexico excelled in the aerospace field worldwide, the Mexican Space Agency ( Agencia Espacial Mexicana abbreviated AEM ) will be one of the institutions that will be affected in the founding of its 2018 projects. This year, AEM received a 2.17% budget increase with MXN$ 92 million funding, yet the institution will receive MXN$ 77 million , a 15.8% decrease compared to this year's budget.

Despite the 7.1% increase in the Science, Technology, and Innovation budget, President Enrique Peña Nieto did not achieve the expected 1% of the Gross Domestic Product ( GDP ) per year to fund this sector, a proposal he made in 2013.

It should be noted that the federal budget for 2018 authorized MXN$ 12,916 million for the country's culture budget representing a 3.7% increase compared to this year's budget. However, the culture budget includes additional resources such as MXN$300 million for Support and Donation s to cultural projects proposed by the legislators.

Thus, the Ministry of Culture will operate in 2018 with about MXN$ 488 million increase compared to this year's budget.

sg