Corruption costs Mexico 17.7 billion pesos as bribery and distrust persist nationwide
Corruption cost Mexico an estimated 17,707.4 million pesos in 2025, according to the latest National Survey of Governmental Quality and Impact (ENCIG) released by INEGI in May. The figure represents a 48.7% increase from 2023, with an average cost of 3,865 pesos per person affected by corrupt practices.
The survey, conducted at 46,000 homes in late 2025, found that 15.6% of people who carried out a bureaucratic procedure, made a payment to a government office, requested a public service or had any other kind of contact with authorities experienced an act of corruption. This translates to a prevalence rate of 15,642 victims per 100,000 inhabitants who had contact with public servants, up from 13,966 per 100,000 in 2023.
The increase continues a troubling trend. Historical data shows the rate stood at 14,701 per 100,000 in 2021, 15,732 in 2019, and 14,635 in 2017, indicating fluctuation but persistent corruption across administrations.
Regional disparities in corruption
Hidalgo emerged as the state where residents most commonly experienced corruption, with approximately 21.5% of those who came into contact with authorities last year encountering corrupt practices. The state also recorded the highest increase among all Mexican states, with a 63.7% jump in corruption prevalence from 2023 to 2025, reaching 21,452 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Following Hidalgo, the states with the highest corruption rates were Oaxaca at 20.3%, Sinaloa at 19.8%, Chihuahua at 18.4%, and Sonora at 18.3%.
At the other end of the spectrum, Colima reported the lowest rate at 7%, followed by Nayarit at 8.9%, Zacatecas at 9.4%, Querétaro at 9.5%, and Tamaulipas at 10.8%.
Police encounters drive corruption experiences
Contact with public security authorities, particularly police, represented by far the most common situation in which corruption occurred. Among respondents who experienced corruption, 63.5% said it happened during interactions with law enforcement officials.
This finding aligns with regional data showing Mexico had the third-highest bribery rate in Latin America for police interactions according to 2023 surveys, with over 20% of respondents reporting being asked to pay bribes to police officers.
Other common situations where acts of corruption occurred included:
- Applying for property-related permits (32%)
- Making payments or submitting bureaucratic paperwork (29.3%)
- Submitting procedures to open a business (23.5%)
- Submitting paperwork to federal or state attorney general's offices (22.3%)
Institutions ranked by corruption perception
When asked about their perceptions of institutional corruption, survey respondents identified police forces as the most corrupt institution in Mexico. Nearly nine in ten respondents — 86.5% — believe police engage in corruption very frequently or frequently.
Political parties ranked second, with 83.9% of respondents believing they engage in corruption very frequently or frequently. Prosecutor's offices followed at 75.3%, state governments at 74.1%, and houses of Congress at 73%.
The institutions perceived as least corrupt were public schools, where only 31.8% of respondents believed corruption occurs very frequently or frequently, followed by public autonomous organizations at 36.9%, civil society organizations at 41.2%, religious institutions at 43%, and the Army and Navy at 46.1%.
Interestingly, respondents also assessed corruption among families (18.7%), neighbors (19.1%), and work colleagues (21.8%), suggesting corruption is viewed as a broader societal issue extending beyond government institutions.
Perception versus reality
While 15.6% of people who had contact with authorities experienced actual corruption, the overall perception of corruption reached 84.1% in 2025, up from 83.1% in 2023. This means that 84.1% of the population considered corruption to be frequent in their state, regardless of personal experience.
This gap between victimization rates and perception levels reveals how deeply corruption concerns permeate Mexican society, affecting trust in institutions even among those who have not directly experienced corrupt practices.
International standing
Mexico's corruption challenges are reflected in international rankings. In the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, Mexico scored 27 out of 100 and ranked 141st out of 182 countries, placing it last among OECD member countries.
The score represents a continuation of a long-term decline. Mexico's corruption rating has fallen from its highest of 37 points in 2001 to the current 27 points in 2025, with a record low of 26 points recorded in 2024. This deterioration has occurred despite anti-corruption platforms promoted by recent administrations.
Transparency International has identified several factors contributing to Mexico's low score, including:
- Weakening of democratic checks and balances
- Increase in extortion
- Links between corruption and organized crime
- Deterioration of public services and security
- Fuel tax evasion known as "huachicol fiscal," which caused 610 billion pesos in lost tax revenue in 2025
Government responses and digital solutions
Mexico established the National Anti-Corruption System following constitutional reforms in 2015 and adopted the Sectoral Programme on Anti-Corruption and Good Governance 2025-2030 through Presidential Decree, demonstrating institutional efforts to address the problem.
One potential pathway toward reducing corruption opportunities emerged in the survey data: the use of internet for government procedures increased from 16.2% in 2023 to 21.7% in 2025. Authorities suggest this digitalization could help increase transparency and reduce opportunities for corrupt practices by limiting direct personal interactions where bribes are typically solicited.
However, the overall trend remains concerning. With corruption costs rising nearly 50% in just two years and perception levels increasing, Mexico faces significant challenges in rebuilding trust in its institutions and reducing the financial and social burden that corruption places on its citizens.
