In this photo released by Mexico's federal court system, the head of Mexico's powerful teachers' union, Elba Esther Gordillo, stands behind bars as she appears for a hearing at a federal prison in Mexico City, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Mexico's most powerful woman was formally charged with a massive embezzlement scheme on Wednesday, standing grim-faced behind bars live on national television in what many called a clear message that the new government is asserting its authority. (AP Photo/Juzgado Sexto de Distrito en Procesos Penales Federales)
-
In this photo released by Mexico's federal court system, the head of Mexico's powerful teachers' union, Elba Esther Gordillo, stands behind bars as she appears for a hearing at a federal prison in Mexico City, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Mexico's most powerful woman was formally charged with a massive embezzlement scheme on Wednesday, standing grim-faced behind bars live on national television in what many called a clear message that the new government is asserting its authority. (AP Photo/Juzgado Sexto de Distrito en Procesos Penales Federales)
-
Police stand guard outside the prison where the head of Mexico's powerful teachers' union, Elba Esther Gordillo, is being held in Mexico City, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Mexico's most powerful woman was formally charged with a massive embezzlement scheme on Wednesday, standing grim-faced behind bars live on national television in what many called a clear message that the new government is asserting its authority. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
-
A boat and jet ski sit tied to a private dock behind the home, right, owned by the family of Mexican union leader Elba Esther Gordillo in Coronado, Califonia, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Gordillo was arrested and accused Tuesday in Mexico of embezzling $160 million in union funds to pay for everything from California homes and plastic surgery procedures to her Neiman Marcus bill. The arrest of Mexico's most powerful union leader echoes the hardball tactics of Mexico's once-imperial presidency while pushing forward an education reform that President Enrique Pena Nieto has made a centerpiece of his new administration. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
-
A stone figure sits in front of the home owned by the family of Mexican union leader Elba Esther Gordillo in Coronado, California, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Gordillo was arrested and accused Tuesday in Mexico of embezzling $160 million in union funds to pay for everything from California homes and plastic surgery procedures to her Neiman Marcus bill. Gordillo, known for flashing her Hermes handbags and heels, stood behind bars Wednesday in a grim prison in eastern Mexico City as a judge read off charges of embezzlement and organized crime. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
-
In this photo released by Mexico's federal court system, the head of Mexico's powerful teachers' union, Elba Esther Gordillo, stands behind bars as she appears for a hearing at a federal prison in Mexico City, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Gordillo was charged with embezzling 2 billion pesos (about $160 million) from union funds, as well as organized crime. The judge in the case said a decision about whether the evidence is sufficient to merit a trial would be taken in three to six days. (AP Photo/Juzgado Sexto de Distrito en Procesos Penales Federales)
-
FILE - In this Friday July 14, 2006 file photo, teachers' union head Elba Esther Gordillo gestures as she arrives to attend a meeting with education workers a day after being expelled from Mexico's Institutional Revolutionary Party in Mexico City. Gordillo, the head of Mexico's powerful teachers' union, was arrested at an airport outside Mexico City on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, for alleged embezzlement, with federal officials accusing her using union funds to pay for plastic surgery, buy a private plane and even pay her bill at Neiman Marcus. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills, file)
-
FILE - This May 12, 2003 file photo shows Elba Esther Gordillo, then secretary general of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) speaks at a news conference with foreign correspondents in Mexico City. Gordillo, the head of Mexico's powerful teachers' union, was arrested at an airport outside Mexico City on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, for alleged embezzlement, with federal officials accusing her using union funds to pay for plastic surgery, buy a private plane and even pay her bill at Neiman Marcus. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo, File)
Mexico pledges to extend supplemental pensions
MEXICO CITY (
AP) — Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto says he will expand a supplementary pension program by lowering the eligibility age to 65.
The program currently applies to people 70 and over and gives them a payment of about 500 pesos ($39) a month.
The expansion will add about 2.5 million people to the approximately 5.6 million Mexicans now getting benefits.
Mexico's government said Thursday that the monthly benefit will be available to all eligible adults by the end of this year. It added that the monthly stipend will be increased to 525 pesos ($41).
Mexico instituted privately managed, joint-contribution pension accounts in the late 1990s, but many of today's elderly had already stopped working by that time.
Tags:
ap, enrique pena nieto, culture_politics, thursday, mexico, benefits, pension, retirement, mexico city, expansion, president, people, payment, late 1990s, pesos, president of mexico, eligibility age, mexicans, carlos salinas de gortari, mexican revolution, monthly benefit, monthly stipend, supplementary pension program, joint-contribution pension accounts, supplemental pensions, mexico pledges, eligible adults, porfirio díaz
Print Page
