Legislators such as Congressman Cuauhtémoc Blanco have demonstrated the discretionary use of blended sessions, when carrying out activities outside their legislative functions. Deputies have also been documented participating from a plane, such as the Morenoist Roberto Domínguez; from the bathroom, like the PAN member Federico Döring; or even from a taco shop, like the emecista Gildardo Pérez.
Mexico City, October (However).– In 2024, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate Chamber together they spent more than 13 million pesos to hire Internet services and platforms for online workso that legislators can meet for video call even with the camera off, in accordance with contracts supervised by the Superior Audit of the Federation (ASF).
The Chamber of Deputies, where in committee sessions some deputies appear via Zoom, even with the camera off, paid last year Total Play (of Group Salinas) more than two million pesos in Internet service.
Likewise, the Chamber of Deputies spent a total of 178 million 199 thousand pesos for services for the dissemination of the actions derived from the conclusion of the LXV Legislature, “as well as the acquisition of equipment for remote voting by legislators.”
This amount is derived from expense items 2910 “Minor tools” and 3610 “Dissemination by radio, television and other media of messages about government programs and activities.” Although it is not broken down how much of the total was allocated to “remote voting equipment”, it is suggested that five million 840 thousand pesos were spent on “minor tools” on office furniture.
The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Kenia López Rabadán, said that this week all deputies are obliged to attend the plenary session in person to debate and vote on the 2026 Expenditure Budget, the Anti-Extortion Law, among other issues, because “that’s what they pay us for.” This Tuesday, the deputy assured that it is the decision of the Plenary to generate and debate an initiative that prohibits the blended sessions that are usually held since the confinement due to COVID-19 and, she commented, at the time there would be sanctions if the Ethics Committee is created.
The statements to the press come after deputy Cuauhtémoc Blanco was shown playing paddle tennis during a blended commission session, something that has also been seen with deputies meeting inside a plane, such as Morenoist deputy Roberto Domínguez; from the bathroom, like the PAN legislator Federico Döring; or from a taco shop, like the Emecista Representative Gildardo Pérez.
“The citizen who pays taxes deserves that his legislators work and that we all do it in a consistent manner. We are obliged to give a respectful debate and the sessions will be absolutely in-person. All the deputies will have to come to work in person at the Chamber of Deputies in a very important week. Let them be here in the Chamber of Deputies because that is what they pay us for,” the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Kenia López, assured since Monday.
On April 30, 2024 and after reviewing prices, the Chamber of Deputies put out to tender the provider Total Play Telecomunicaciones (of Grupo Salinas) for 2 million 885 thousand pesos he alternate internet link service effective from May 1 to December 31, 2024, as part of budget items 3170 “Internet access, network and information processing services” and 3270 “Leasing of intangible assets.”
“It was found that the provider provided 2 GBPS alternate internet link services in 1+0 configuration, including technical support and service for Checkpoint model 15600 firewall, which includes the Next Generation Threat Prevention and Technical Support document, for an amount of 2,885.0 thousand pesos. (…) Total Play Telecomunicaciones issued eight Digital Tax Receipts over the Internet, which, according to the query made on the Tax Administration Service’s website (SAT), were found to have current status,” observed the supervisory body.
In the Senate it is similar. In 2024, for online work such as blended sessions, the Senate will spend 5 million 156 thousand pesos of public resources.
On January 2 of that year, it signed the contract for licensing and support for software users to hold online work meetings with Cisco Webex (platform for video calls, video conferences, webinars) with Uninet, SA de CV, with a validity from January 1 to December 31, 2024.
“Licensing was implemented for 420 users of the Cisco Webex platform with the Meeting, Training, Events and Support modules. The platform featured the ability to use virtual whiteboards, real-time translation and interactive annotations, included an integrated question and answer panel, recorded sessions in the cloud or locally, and its anti-malware functionality allowed it to scan files for viruses, malware and Trojan-type attacks. Webex Training (training) included evaluation, level of care, polling and reporting tools to evaluate the effectiveness of training, as well as complete event management from inception,” details the ASF.
Additionally, Webex Events (events) provided social media streaming capabilities and generation of a digital library of recorded trainings and tutorials. Webex Support enabled users to receive live technical assistance from a support organizer. In addition, it spent another more than 15 million pesos to Guzdan Services for the licensing and support policy of the virtualization infrastructure.
“That’s what they pay us for”
In 2024, the Chamber of Deputies had an annual budget of 9,371,736,000 pesos, of which 5,968,035,000 pesos were for personal services of deputies and employees.
Among the workers, there were still those hired through outsourcing (a prohibited figure), since payments of 913 million 432 thousand pesos were reported for 5,625 positions of personnel hired under the regime of fees comparable to salaries. Regarding the union members, they enjoyed attendance at an amusement park on Three Kings’ Day and Children’s Day, as well as household appliances on Mother’s and Father’s Day.
For legislators, within the “benefits” item, 30 million pesos were spent for holiday vouchers. On December 11, 2024, with Deputy Ricardo Monreal in the Jucopo, the Chamber of Deputies signed contract LXVI-DGAJ-068/2024 with Servicios Broxel to acquire grocery vouchers for administrative and legislative staff of Parliamentary Groups, valid from December 11 to 31, 2024. The provider distributed the food vouchers through 6 thousand cards.
Likewise, from 2021 to 2024 – a period in which they have worked semi-in-person due to COVID-19 – legislators have enjoyed electronic toll payment for trips on highways with tolls. In 2024 alone, 19 million 466 thousand pesos were spent for this service.
“On September 1, 2021, the Chamber of Deputy signed with the provider Cobro Electrónico de Peaje, SA de CV the multi-year contract for 74 million pesos, which had as its objective the electronic collection of tolls through electronic devices, with a validity from September 1, 2021 to December 1, 2024,” observed the Audit.
The old businesses
The Superior Audit of the Federation audited 21 contracts for more than 250 million pesos disbursed by the Chamber of Senators during 2024 for different services and materials, but found no payments not made or tax evasion despite the fact that Senator Adán Augusto López had pointed out alleged “old businesses” with two contracts for more than 150 million pesos related to the safeguarding of files and elevators.
“It was proven that of the 21 legal instruments that were selected for review, none of the suppliers had a history of non-compliance or sanctions that prevented their contracting, and that in all cases the Digital Tax Receipts over the Internet complied with the fiscal requirements,” he observed in the Public Account 2024 that details the signing of contracts and documentary support for reception.
In December 2024, after the possibility of a cut in the 2025 budget of the Chamber of Senators, Senator Augusto López reported to the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), the Anti-Corruption Secretariat and to the Superior Audit of the Federation (ASF) alleged irregularities in two contracts made in the Senate when the now Deputy Ricardo Monreal was the head of the Political Coordination Board (Jucopo).
The two contracts, which he described as “old businesses,” amount to more than 150 million pesos: one he said is for 60 million pesos supposedly for the administration of documents from the Upper House in a warehouse in Hidalgo and another contract for more than 90 million pesos related to the service to the elevators.
Regarding stationery administration, in 2024 the Senate awarded the service to a “natural person” (the Audit does not reveal the name of the company unlike other contracts) for 2 million 913 thousand pesos, which the Audit verified were paid and the service received.
The Senator did not provide details of the company for the elevator service. The only related 2024 contract was given without public bidding and without irregularities according to the ASF.
On December 8, 2023, the Chamber of Senators awarded the preventive and corrective maintenance service with spare parts included to 17 Schindler brand elevators located in the property at Av. Paseo de la Reforma No. 135, to the company Elevadores Schindler, SA de CV “for being the only company that has the rights to the use of the “Port” technology with which the elevators that are the subject of the acquisition operate.
Therefore, on January 2, 2024, the contract was signed for 3 million 179 thousand pesos, valid from January 1 to December 31, 2024. The Audit verified that the Chamber of Senators signed the contract, made the accounting and budget records, and accredited the provision of the services, in compliance with the regulations.
Finally, the accusations from the stands did not advance after the Secretary of the Interior, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, had both Morenistas meet to talk and pose together in a photograph.
But the Superior Audit of the Federation responded to the complaint and audited the spending of both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate during 2024, and concluded that it was exercised and recorded in accordance with the approved amounts, and in accordance with the legal and regulatory provisions.