President López Obrador proposes abolishing the National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Personal Data Protection (INAI), arguing that it fails to combat corruption and legitimizes the concealment of information. He suggests that its functions be transferred to existing agencies to eliminate bureaucratic redundancy and redirect funds toward social needs, framing the institute as an ineffective, costly apparatus that serves conservative interests rather than public transparency. This initiative is highly relevant to open data because it threatens the institutional independence essential for enforcing the right to access information. Dismantling a specialized autonomous body risks weakening accountability mechanisms, potentially allowing government entities to withhold critical data without robust external oversight, thereby undermining the foundational principles of transparency and civic control over public resources. Additionally, the president criticizes the National Electoral Institute and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) for similar alleged inefficiencies and irregularities. This broader narrative targets multiple autonomous bodies, signaling a systemic shift away from independent oversight structures. The move highlights a political conflict between centralized executive power and decentralized institutions designed to protect democratic integrity and data access.
Source:Published on 2023-04-19