As part of the strategy to put an end to corruption in Mexico, and within the scope of the 2007-2012 National Development Plan to strengthen security and the rule of law, President Felipe Calderon sent on March 2, 2011 the decree initiative amending and expanding various provisions of the Federal Law of Administrative Accountability of Public Officials. The following may be highlighted from it:
- It establishes the protection measures for those who denounce and provide information about any breach of duties by government officials, and the government officials’ obligation to refrain from inhibiting possible claimants.
- It contemplates the filing of anonymous reports.
- It confers greater discovery means to the federal government controllers, and to the heads of the auditing and the complaints and responsibilities areas.
- It increases the sanctions applicable to administrative offences, including the suspension from service of the public officer involved in incidents, which could be a suspension for up to 20 years and the removal of the official from his position in the case of serious offences.
- It establishes that the official’s position and its collaboration in the identification of the facts or accreditation of responsibility of other officials will be taken into account to set the administrative sanctions.
- It establishes means to encourage officials to provide information that may contribute to fight corruption, including a substantial reduction of the administrative sanctions for their collaboration.
- It improves the supervision of government officials’ wealth and provides the means for the State to sanction any violations and to compensate the citizens that denounce acts of corruption, in an attempt to make citizen claims a true tool to fight corruption.
