Why does Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum maintain favorability ratings of around 70 percent while other world leaders are struggling so much — Trump 42 percent, Starmer 23 percent, Macron seven percent? Perhaps we should look no further than her government’s social welfare (Bienestar) programs, a key factor in her 2024 election landslide.
Despite Mexico’s modest economic growth last year and conservative estimates for 2026, the government has committed 663,719 million pesos (US$36.9 billion) to universal pensions for 2026—a 14.6 percent increase well above projected inflation. This funding reaches almost 20 million citizens through three core programs: the Pensión para Adultos Mayores, providing 6,400 pesos bimonthly to 14.1 million seniors; the Pensión Mujeres Bienestar, offering 3,100 pesos bimonthly to 3.5 million women aged 60-64; and the Pensión para Personas con Discapacidad, granting 3,300 pesos bimonthly to two million beneficiaries.
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