AMLO's "Vaquitas del Bienestar" Programme Under Scrutiny: Nearly One Billion Pesos Vanish in Cattle Purchase

The "Vaquitas del Bienestar", a prominent initiative under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's administration, aimed to bolster Mexico's self-sufficiency in meat and dairy production. However, the programme, officially known as "Crédito Ganadero a la Palabra", has been criticized for its failure to achieve its goals and for financial mismanagement resulting in the loss of 958 million pesos.

Launched in 2019 to address Mexico's dependence on importing protein-rich foods such as meat and milk, the programme intended to repopulate the country's livestock with one million heifers and 50,000 bulls. Despite the ambitious goal, poor planning, and lack of a foundational diagnostic report led to ineffective execution.

Instead of acquiring high-quality cattle for repopulation, the government ended up buying old, poor-quality, and even sick livestock. This not only resulted in wasted funds but also caused a backlash among beneficiaries who reported receiving substandard animals that negatively impacted their other livestock.

According to officials and audits, the programme, which was to distribute livestock across various Mexican states, was marred with issues from the start. Neither the planned repopulation occurred nor was any of the livestock recovered, leading to a significant financial loss.

As of 2022, the government removed the obligation for recipients to return animals, effectively acknowledging the financial loss and failure to attain self-sufficiency in meat production. The programme's mismanagement has been a source of frustration for local farmers and sparked accusations of corruption and favoritism in the livestock procurement process.