Mexican drivers face slight fuel hike in January

MEXICO CITY, Dec 21 (Reuters) – Mexican drivers will pay a tad more to fill up their tanks beginning in January, as the government implements a fiscal overhaul meant to expand the country’s meager tax base.

Mexicans will pay an additional 2 centavos, less than a fifth of a U.S. cent, per liter of standard gasoline as of January, with another 2 centavos added each month for 18 months, the government said in the daily gazette on Friday.


Congress agreed on the gasoline price hike in a tax reform passed in September, but President Felipe Calderon delayed its implementation to avoid hurting the poor.

State-oil firm Pemex is the only company that sells gasoline in Mexico, and the government keeps the price low, currently 7.01 pesos per liter, about $2.45 per gallon.

Reuters