Transformation of the Mexican statistical and geographical system

Issue title: Evolution of National Statistical Systems

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Calvillo-Vives, Gilberto

Affiliations: President of the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics (INEGI), Mexico. E-mail: francisco.escobar@inegi.gob.mx

Abstract: The transformation of the Mexican Statistical and Geographical System has gone through a Constitutional Reform whose core elements are: the entitlement of the Congress to legislate on statistical and geographical information matters and to establish a National System of Statistical and Geographical Information coordinated by INEGI. The Reform has to be understood within a context of political evolution and change towards democracy during the 20th century, when a very powerful presidential regime drove Mexico, leading to a general social perception that the Government manipulated key statistical information for its own convenience. It was a felt need in the society to overcome this credibility crisis and to promote a more comprehensive and transparent National Information System, with the coordination of an autonomous institution. The System is organized in 3 subsystems: Economic and financial statistics; Social and Demographic statistics; and Environmental and Geographical Information, to produce and disseminate information of national importance. The main challenge ahead after the constitutional amendment, deals with the functioning of the System and the efficient coordinating role of INEGI, in accordance with the principles of accessibility, transparency, objectivity and independence.

Journal: Statistical Journal of the IAOS, vol. 24, no. 1-2, pp. 71-74, 2007