Mexico’s Sheinbaum Touts Falling Crime, Rising Jobs

MEXICO · POLITICS

Sheinbaum’s second annual address touted falling crime and growing welfare rolls, even as new data questions the strength of foreign investment.

President Claudia Sheinbaum marked her second year in office with a nationally televised address on September 1. The speech is Mexico’s yearly state-of-the-nation report, called the Informe de Gobierno in Spanish.

Sheinbaum said violence has fallen sharply during her time in office. She said Mexico’s economy kept growing despite new United States tariffs on cars, steel and aluminum.

She delivered the address from the National Palace in Mexico City, addressing lawmakers and supporters. Local outlets including El Universal and Expansión covered the speech in detail.

Her office released detailed figures alongside the speech for outside review. Independent outlets have cross-checked many of those numbers against official data.

Falling Crime and Growing Welfare

Sheinbaum said daily killings fell 51% during her first two years in office. She said the daily average dropped from about 87 killings to about 43.

She credited the drop to her government’s security strategy and coordination with state police. Independent crime data has shown homicide numbers falling over the past year as well.

She also highlighted Mexico’s welfare programs, now reaching nearly 43 million people across the country. Officials say those programs cost more than 1 trillion pesos (about US$59 billion) a year.

The spending covers pensions for older adults and other cash-transfer programs for families. Sheinbaum said the payments help explain rising household spending across Mexico.

Mexican presidents have delivered this annual address for decades, though the format has changed over time. Sheinbaum’s version focused heavily on numbers, framing her presidency as a success story so far.

Economic Growth and a Strong Peso

Mexico’s economy grew 1.4% in the second quarter of 2026, Sheinbaum said. She said 60 million people now hold jobs after 86,765 new positions were added.

Sheinbaum also pointed to the peso, now trading near 17 to the dollar. She called it one of the world’s best-performing currencies this year.

Sheinbaum said she will unveil a new economic plan for 2027 within days. She promised the plan would balance the budget without cutting health and education spending.

A Reality Check on Investment

Sheinbaum has also cited nearly US$35 billion in new investment as proof of confidence in Mexico. Reuters reported new foreign investment actually fell 13% in the first half of 2026.

Reuters found that most of the US$35 billion figure comes from reinvested company profits. It said only 7.8% of that money funded genuinely new projects on the ground.

Some economists say the investment gap could slow job creation if it continues. Sheinbaum’s government has not directly disputed Reuters’ figures on investment sources.

Mexico still faces uncertainty from new United States tariffs and shifting trade rules.

More: Mexico news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mexico’s Informe de Gobierno?

It is the Mexican president’s annual state-of-the-nation report, delivered each September 1 by law.

How much did homicides drop under Sheinbaum?

Sheinbaum said daily killings fell 51%, from about 87 a day to about 43.

Does new data support Sheinbaum’s investment claims?

Reuters found only 7.8% of her cited US$35 billion in investment funded genuinely new projects.

Sources: El Universal, Expansión, Presidencia de la República (gob.mx), Reuters, XE currency data.