Social pension programs face funding and theft challenges in Colombia and Mexico

In Colombia, Sandra Suárez Pérez, director of Prosperidad Social, has alleged that the previous administration left a budget deficit exceeding 3 trillion pesos for the Colombia Mayor program. According to official management reports, while 8.4 trillion pesos were requested to fund transfers for approximately three million elderly citizens, only 4.6 trillion pesos were allocated. This shortfall reportedly caused delays in payment cycles, including a missed payment in March and delays in subsequent cycles.

In Mexico, regional officials in the southern zone report approximately 30 complaints every two months regarding the misappropriation of elderly pension funds. Rodolfo Rodríguez Bojorquez, regional director of federal programs, stated that children or direct relatives are frequently accused of taking funds from beneficiaries. This often occurs because seniors share their card passwords with family members. Officials recommend that affected beneficiaries report these incidents to the Prosecutor's Office and request new cards to prevent further unauthorized withdrawals.