Infonavit Corruption Allegations: Mexican Government Files Criminal Complaints Against Employees
The Mexican federal government has taken action against alleged corruption within the Instituto del Fondo Nacional de la Vivienda para los Trabajadores (Infonavit). The government has presented criminal complaints to the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) involving various cases of corruption, with the participation of both the business and workers’ sectorial directions, as confirmed by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.
In a press conference, the president disclosed that she had instructed Infonavit’s director, Octavio Romero Oropeza, to collaborate with the legal counsel to file the complaints with the FGR. Romero Oropeza presented several cases of corruption involving housing construction projects approved by both sectorial directions but riddled with irregularities. These projects, intended for developers and workers, resulted in incomplete or defective homes with missing basic services.
One such project, proposed by the business sectorial direction, involved the construction of 8,852 homes by 76 developers. The project received MXN 3 billion without undergoing any evaluation process. Alarmingly, 18 developers owe a combined MXN 962 million and have left 700 worker homes unfinished. One company has been indebted since 2013. Affected developers include Constructora e Inmobiliaria Simher, Constructora y Urbanizadora de Guerrero, and Desarrolladora Puerta de Sol, among others.
Meanwhile, a housing project approved by the workers’ sectorial direction also lacked evaluation. The project involved a MXN 724 million credit allocated to 20 developers to construct 9,451 homes. Unfortunately, 13 developers owe over MXN 1,000 million, including interests, and 7,369 homes (75%) remain unbuilt. This project, the director emphasized, defrauded worker’s housing fund savings.
Romero Oropeza underscored that these programs have adversely affected the worker’s housing fund and their hard-earned savings. The government is now seeking justice and accountability for these corrupt practices.
