Sheinbaum links digital payments to fight against fuel theft
Original reporting: Proyecto Puente
What happened
Sheinbaum said cash would remain available as Mexico promotes digital payments at gasoline stations and toll booths and prepares a Banco del Bienestar app, Proyecto Puente reported.
Reporting and context
President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico’s push for digital payments would leave cash available while helping authorities trace fuel purchases and combat fuel theft and illegal imports, according to Proyecto Puente.
The outlet reported that she addressed the issue at her morning news conference at the National Palace after legislation on digital and electronic payments was published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on November 4. She rejected claims that the government intended to eliminate cash to exert greater political or social control.
Sheinbaum said the government wanted to expand digital payments at gasoline stations and gradually at toll booths. She linked that effort to tracing fuel transactions as part of the fight against fuel theft and smuggling, known in Mexico as huachicol.
The Banco del Bienestar would also introduce a mobile application, she said, allowing customers to make purchases without first withdrawing money from an ATM. The report gave no launch date for the app.
As an example, Sheinbaum pointed to Mexico City’s replacement of paper transport tickets with card payments. She said users welcomed the change and that it had increased Metro revenue, without providing a figure in the report. She also dismissed concern about a possible wave of legal challenges to the new provisions.
Original publication: https://proyectopuente.com.mx/2026/11/09/sheinbaum-aclara-que-los-pagos-digitales-no-eliminaran-el-uso-de-efectivo-y-buscan-combatir-el-huachicol