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News · MexicoINE's 1.075-billion-peso contract for voter ID cards: what is alleged and what happens to your card
An investigation by Reforma points to changes in the rules of the tender to make Mexico's voter ID cards and a much more expensive QR code. INE's interim president says the contract stands and services will not stop.
Translated from the original Spanish article. Read in Spanish
News published on October 29, 2026. The situation may have changed since then.
Mexico's National Electoral Institute (INE) is once again at the center of controversy, this time over the contract to produce the voter ID card.
The news comes just days after Guadalupe Taddei resigned as head of the institute.
The contract
Tender LP-INE-033/2025 was awarded while Taddei was in charge. It was won by a group of companies led by Cosmocolor, together with Icards Solutions and Talleres Gráficos de México.
The contract is worth about 1.075 billion pesos and covers card production from 2026 to 2031. Each card costs 0.65 dollars plus VAT.
What is alleged
According to an investigation by Reforma, published on October 29, requirements in the tender were changed. For example, the experience required dropped from 2 million documents to 200,000.
The price of each QR code on the card rose from 1.7 to 12 US cents: 606% more than in 2022.
The complainants say the tender was tailor-made. But these are allegations: no authority has proven them. In 2025, INE said the process followed the rules, with a social witness and tests by UNAM.
What INE says now
Interim president Blanca Cruz said the contract will remain in force. She explained that suspending it would cause losses and disrupt the delivery of cards.
And your card
The allegations do not invalidate any card. You can still apply for a first card, renewal, change of address and replacement.
Since June 1, 2026, a new model with more security features has been issued. Older cards remain valid for voting and identification while they are current.
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Sources (in Spanish)
- Contrato, montos, denuncias de Reforma, respuesta del INE y trámites: El Imparcial (29 de octubre de 2026).
- Declaraciones de Blanca Cruz: La Jornada (29 de octubre de 2026).
- Nuevo modelo de credencial: INE, Central Electoral (20 de julio de 2026).
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