**PAN and PRI Leaders Demand Morena Lower Gasoline Prices**
Leaders of Mexico’s PAN and PRI parties have called on the ruling Morena party to take legislative action aimed at reducing gasoline prices. On January 14, 2025, Jorge Romero Herra and Rafael Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas, national presidents of the National Action Party (PAN) and the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), respectively, urged Morena to use its congressional majority to lower fuel costs, fulfilling a 2018 promise made by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
In a video shared on the social media platform X, Romero Herrera highlighted previous rejections from Morena’s congressional factions to set a maximum gasoline price of 20 pesos during income law discussions and reduce the Special Tax on Production and Services (IEPS). “From the National Action Party, we will raise our voices across the country so that Mexicans know the benefits of reducing fuel prices. We will continue demanding that the ruling party keep its word for affordable gasoline now,” stated the PAN president.
Romero Herrera also reminded audiences of instances when prominent Morena figures, such as Norma Rocío Nahle García and Ariadna Montiel Reyes, supported reducing gasoline prices during their tenure as federal deputies.
Furthermore, Iván Escalante Ruiz, head of Mexico’s Federal Consumer Protection Agency (PROFECO), countered claims from the PAN, asserting that Morena’s deputies had indeed not rejected capping gasoline prices. During President López Obrador’s administration, the gasoline price reportedly fell from 25.48 pesos to 24.15 pesos, a 5.2% reduction.
Critics like Moreno Cárdenas criticized Morena for not leveraging its congressional majority to decrease essential service prices. “If they can change the constitution, they should lower the costs of electricity and basic goods for Mexicans,” he stressed.
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**Additional Context on Mexico’s Gasoline Pricing Debate**
The ongoing debate over fuel prices in Mexico touches on broader economic and political dynamics. As of January 2025, despite reductions in gasoline prices during President López Obrador’s administration, opposition parties argue that current tariffs and taxes still place a heavy burden on consumers. Mexico sees fluctuating gasoline prices in response to global market trends, which complicates domestic efforts to stabilize costs sustainably.
In neighboring countries like the United States, gasoline prices are often lower due to different tax structures, which further fuels the domestic debate on price disparities and economic competitiveness. Mexican policymakers continue discussing various strategies, including potential tax overhaul and energy sector reforms, to manage fuel prices more effectively and address broader economic concerns.
The discourse around gasoline pricing is part of a larger narrative about energy self-sufficiency, governmental economic policies, and public sentiment on consumer costs. As Mexico moves forward, this issue remains a significant point of intersection between public policy objectives and political agendas.