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The Finance and Special Budget Committee issued a favorable report on a proposal to amend the 2026 National Budget Law, distributing US$78 million among eight public institutions. These funds would be used to bolster security plans, procure medicines, carry out road maintenance, and strengthen institutional infrastructure, among other needs anticipated for the final quarter of the year.
The proposal received unanimous support from the committee members and includes allocations for the Defensa Nacional, Relaciones Exteriores, Salud, Obras Públicas and Educación, as well as for the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), la Procuraduría para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (PDDH) and the Presidency of the Republic. However, this favorable report marks a step forward in the legislative process and does not mean the reform has been definitively approved.
Michelle Arce, deputy director general of the Budget at the Ministry of Finance, explained that the funds would come from tax revenue surpluses exceeding the estimates projected through september 2026. According to the official, this additional revenue stems from administrative measures designed to improve tax collection and combat tax evasion.
The largest single allocation would go to the Ministry of Health, receiving US$18.8 million to cover priority needs, including payments for goods and services and the purchase of medicines, supplies, and equipment for medical facilities. Meanwhile, the Ministerio de Obras Públicas would receive US$15 million to fund strategic projects for the construction, maintenance, and repair of the road network, as well as work related to rights-of-way across the country.
The Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores would be allocated US$14 million to reinforce the Plan Control Territorial, focusing primarily on public security operations aimed at reclaiming and rehabilitating territories nationwide. The Presidency of the Republic would receive an additional US$14 million to ensure the operational capacity of its secretariats and agencies, as well as to strengthen its infrastructure through the acquisition of machinery, computer and technological equipment, and other assets.
Regarding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the proposal includes $6 million to cover the operating expenses of diplomatic and consular missions abroad, as well as the procurement of goods and services necessary for the ministry’s operations. The Fiscalía General would also receive US$6 million to strengthen the operational and technological capabilities of its various units.
Additionally, the Ministerio de Educación would be allocated US$2.7 million to be transferred to the Consejo Nacional de la Primera Infancia, Niñez y Adolescencia (CONAPINA). These funds would address urgent needs within institutional care and social integration programs for children and youth. Meanwhile, the Procuraduría para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos would receive US$1.5 million to organize and implement the 2027 electoral observatory, including the purchase of laptops, video cameras, and other equipment.
Through this modification, the government seeks to bolster the budget allocations of these eight institutions to meet commitments deemed priorities for the remainder of 2026. The proposal must proceed through the legislative process so that the funds can be formally incorporated into the current budget and allocated to the purposes outlined by each entity.
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