The party that dominates Mexico, Morena, came to power preaching support for the common people, with its members often reciting the motto, “For the good of all, the poor first.”
However, recent revelations have left voters dismayed. Several Morena officials have been seen staying in luxurious hotels overseas, sporting expensive attire and jewelry, and reporting millions in undeclared income.
This stark contrast between their public image and private wealth has led many to question: How can the ‘party of the people’ justify such opulence?
“It’s a bit shocking,” admitted Enrique Rodríguez, a 23-year-old architecture student in Mexico City who supported Morena’s presidential candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum. While acknowledging that previous administrations also had lavish lifestyles, he expressed “disappointment” at the conduct of some current officials.
He added that the party was “supposed to be trying to make a change.”
While luxurious living among politicians isn’t new in Mexico, a nation long plagued by corruption, this specific issue is particularly potent. Public outrage over corruption propelled Morena to power in both 2018 and 2024. The leftist party has also released figures demonstrating its success in alleviating poverty, a feat previous governments struggled to achieve.
Nevertheless, the clear disparity between Morena officials’ public pronouncements and the extravagant lifestyles of some members has ignited a fierce public outcry in Mexico, leading to widespread frustration among citizens. Voters and analysts alike believe this scandal could have profound and enduring consequences.
Political analyst Vanessa Romero Rocha noted, “I’ve witnessed a clear, furious, and resounding backlash against these individuals. People feel offended and betrayed.”
She believes these controversies have inflicted “irreparable damage” on Morena’s image, despite the party not facing midterm elections until 2027.
When questioned about the criticism, President Sheinbaum emphasized that party members are ultimately accountable to the electorate. “We are judged by the people,” she recently stated.
These comments were made in response to inquiries regarding a major controversy involving Andrés Manuel López Beltrán, Morena’s party secretary and son of President Sheinbaum’s mentor and predecessor.
Andrés Manuel López Beltrán’s father, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, ascended from humble beginnings in rural Mexico to become a political icon. He founded Morena and maintains immense popularity among voters, largely due to his actions: slashing government salaries (including his own), expanding welfare programs for the poor, and forsaking the lavish presidential residence and private jet.
“There can be no rich government if people are poor,” was a frequent declaration by Mr. López Obrador, a sentiment echoed by Ms. Sheinbaum since she assumed office last fall.
Scrutiny also turned to Senator Adán Augusto López Hernández, another prominent politician, after a local news report last week revealed he received almost $4.3 million in private income between 2023 and 2024.
In an interview, Mr. López Hernández confirmed the sum, asserting he had properly declared it. He explained the income stemmed from private legal work, rental properties, interest, and a family inheritance.
“I am permitted to earn money from my professional services or as an entrepreneur,” he stated, “as long as it complies with regulations.”
Morena’s membership is diverse, encompassing staunch leftists, moderates, and former members of other parties. In May, the party reinforced its ethical guidelines, explicitly stating that “signs of material ostentation such as jewelry, exclusive designer clothing, high-value properties or cars, luxury restaurants or tourism” contradict its core principles.
The guidelines declared that “the trappings of power belong to a past of corruption and privilege.”
However, recent months have been filled with images that suggest lavish lifestyles. In late July, when the former president’s son was spotted at the breakfast buffet of a $400-a-night hotel in Tokyo, Mexican media and online circles reacted with immediate and strong condemnation.
A local news outlet, referencing a receipt from his two-week stay, reported that Mr. López Beltrán spent nearly $2,600 at a hotel restaurant. This report intensified public outrage, especially given that the average Mexican household earns approximately $1,400 per month.
Morena did not provide a comment when requested. The party leader stated this summer that Mr. López Beltrán’s monthly income does not exceed $5,400. In a public letter in August, Mr. López Beltrán confirmed the hotel’s nightly rate but insisted he paid with his personal funds. He did not, however, address the authenticity of the reported bill.
He dismissed the extensive criticism as “a political lynching campaign steeped in hatred, classism, and slander.”
He further claimed to have learned from a young age “that power is humility, that austerity is a matter of principle, and that we must live in a just middle ground.”
Yet, his situation was far from isolated in sparking public indignation. Other officials have also been observed with seemingly expensive clothing, watches, and cars. Education Secretary Mario Delgado Carrillo was seen at a high-end hotel in Portugal, and influential federal deputy Ricardo Monreal was seen dining at a similar establishment in Spain. These sightings prompted President Sheinbaum to assert that officials are entitled to take vacations using their personal funds.
However, she also urged modesty, stating, “Power is humility, and that must be demonstrated in every action we take.”
Neither Mr. Monreal nor Mr. Delgado Carrillo provided a response to requests for comment.
Mr. Monreal clarified in late July that he hadn’t left Mexico in years due to work commitments, and his trip to Spain was to celebrate his wedding anniversary.
He maintained that his trip was “neither improper nor illegal nor immoral,” arguing that as long as he paid for it with personal funds and it didn’t interfere with his official duties, “it shouldn’t offend” the public.
Similarly, Mr. Delgado Carrillo asserted that he financed his Portugal trip with his own money, “without neglecting my responsibilities.” Government records indicate his annual salary is $85,000.
Senator Gerardo Fernández Noroña, another notable and outspoken Morena politician, has also come under fire. Known for quoting Karl Marx favorably and claiming in 2021 that he had no money, his recent activities have sparked debate.
Voters were recently astonished to discover that Mr. Fernández Noroña possesses two cars and a sprawling 13,000-square-foot home, valued at an estimated $650,000. Critics argue this is an exorbitant amount for a legislator whose annual salary, according to government data, is around $98,000.
The senator stated he purchased the house on credit last year and asserted his right to spend his money as he sees fit.
“I have no obligation to be austere,” he declared at a recent event, clarifying, “It’s the public policies that are austere.”
In a message to The New York Times, he dismissed the journalists’ focus on what he called “truly trivial things” as “terrible attacks.”
Some voters perceive these displays of wealth as a sign that Morena politicians are losing touch with the public.
María Rodríguez, a 50-year-old Mexico City resident, questioned, “They’re traveling, well-dressed, driving expensive cars, but where is the extreme poverty? Go to the mountains in Chiapas, and you’ll find it.”
Others, however, remained indifferent.
Margarito Correa, an 81-year-old retiree who supported Morena presidential candidates, expressed gratitude for the elderly pension payments, which have increased fivefold under the party’s governance.
Yet, regarding politicians living lavishly, he simply remarked, “It’s the same old story.”