Pensions for presidents of Mexico: Where did they come from?

Starting today, the Federal Law of Remunerations for Public Servants , which establishes that no government official will be capable of receiving a higher wage than the President of the Republic, also puts an end to monthly pension benefits for former Mexico presidents .

The first precedent for this payment was set in 1976, during the administration of Luis Echeverría . It was agreed upon that all former presidents of Mexico would have 78 elements of the Army and Navy at their disposal .

In 1987 , President Miguel de la Madrid issued a presidential agreement through which “all citizens who have served as presidents will enjoy a lifetime pension that is equivalent to the total salary received by public servants holding the position of Secretary of State, charged against the treasury.”

The presidential pension now rises to 205,122 pesos a month (USD$10,364 as per the existing rate) , benefiting former presidents Luis Echeverría (1970-1976) and Vicente Fox (2000-2006) .However, former President Felipe Calderón donates his pension in its entirety to the “Aquí nadie se rinde” foundation , dedicated to helping children with cancer , while former statesmen Carlos Salinas de Gortari (1988-1994) and Ernesto Zedillo (1994-2000) decided to give up their pension , though they still receive the support of the Presidential Guard .

Furthermore, Sasha Montenegro, widow of José López Portillo (1976-1982) and Paloma Cordero, widow of Miguel de la Madrid , still receive their spouses’ pensions, each of which rises to 102,000 pesos .

The presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies , Martí Batres and Porfirio Muñoz Ledo , both from the National Regeneration Movement party (Morena) , have ruled out the possibility of a legal controversy surrounding the Federal Law of Remunerations for Public Servants .

In contrast, the senate coordinator of the National Action Party (PAN), Damián Zepeda , called for reviewing the recently approved Federal Law of Remunerations for Public Servants, alleging that it had legal errors.

On the other hand, the senate coordinator of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), Miguel Ángel Mancera , agreed with the spirit of the recently approved law, though he regretted that it did not distinguish highly specialized government officials and those dedicated to national security.

“It does not distinguish armed forces and those who have higher levels of responsibility and specialization,” he claimed.

Pensions for former Mexico presidents are officially over

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