Mexico to Invest $100 Billion to Build Telecom and Transport Infrastructure

The Mexican government has set aside more than $100 billion to bolster the country’s telecom and transport infrastructure. The money will be spent over the next five years, widening the country’s road and railway networks.

“Having a quality infrastructure in the transport and communications sector is crucial to accelerating economic activity and social development,” stated the President Enrique Peña Nieto in a press release.

Among the projects are the modernization or building of four airports, seven seaports and about 3,350 miles (5,410 kilometers) of highways, according to the Associated Press.

The most important project is closing the digital gap in the country. The new plans unveiled by the president talk of strengthening fiber optic networks and expanding broadband internet access.

The President said the programs will also enable an increasing number of students and youth to access the Internet ‘and join the knowledge era, in which the generation of wealth will critically depend on the talent, creativity and ideas of Mexicans.’

In a nutshell, the government’s plans are aimed to modernize, expand and maintain communications and transport infrastructure.

There is a plan to relieve the congestion of Mexico City International Airport and promote regional interconnections. Also in the list is a plan to build about 360 miles (583 kms) of high-speed rail links, including links between Mexico City and the nearby cities of Toluca and Queretaro.

“In the telecommunications sector, the aim is to achieve universal access, by expanding network coverage, fostering competition and ensuring that the constitutional reform of this area is implemented in a timely, effective manner,” Peña Nieto said.