Querétaro faces financial irregularities and corruption claims

The state of Querétaro has faced serious financial irregularities, according to findings from Mexico’s Federal Audit Office (ASF) that were presented this week by local lawmakers from the ruling MORENA party. The report contradicts the state government’s claim of having no major issues in its 2025 spending accounts.

Payments to the Deceased and Double Salaries

Among the most striking anomalies, the ASF found that the state’s education department and its basic education service unit made 23 payments to employees who had already died during the 2025 fiscal year. These errors were uncovered after cross-checking payroll records with death certificates from the state health ministry.

Additionally, the audit revealed three state workers who held both elected positions and union roles tied to opposition groups, including a city council member from Querétaro, while receiving dual salaries. The ASF noted this violated current labor laws. The state’s education agency also spent 2.5 million pesos on these overlapping positions without proper oversight.

In another case, the state purchased 1,200 plastic chairs for secondary schools through a restricted bidding process that skipped required public tender procedures. The ASF ruled this irregular and ordered the return of 4.9 million pesos to federal authorities, citing violations of procurement rules.

Unspent Funds and Political Reserves

The most significant financial shortfall involved 1.974 billion pesos in surplus funds that the Querétaro government failed to allocate to public services. Instead, the state held back 1.526 billion pesos in bank accounts by the end of 2025, using them as a political reserve rather than investing in infrastructure or social programs. MORENA lawmakers called this a clear violation of fiscal transparency and urged reforms to prevent such practices ahead of upcoming elections.

Beyond state-level issues, the audit also flagged potential corruption in two municipalities. In Querétaro city, a 213 million peso contract for educational materials was awarded to a company with ties to former electoral institute officials now working in the municipal government. Meanwhile, in the neighboring town of Corregidora, the former chief of staff was photographed vacationing on a luxury yacht with a government contractor, raising questions about conflicts of interest and the effectiveness of local anti-corruption measures.

The state government, led by PAN Governor Mauricio Kuri González, has not yet responded to the findings. MORENA officials emphasized that their party has not violated election laws, such as early campaign spending, and have instead focused on holding authorities accountable through legal channels.

Separate from the political dispute, the ASF’s report also highlighted 21 million pesos in unspent funds that had to be returned to the federal treasury due to mismanagement in key areas, including 4.5 million pesos from the state roads commission and 11.9 million pesos from health sector accounts.