Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila Highlights Five Years of Progress in Annual Report

-Editorial 

Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda presented her fifth annual report on government achievements, Nov. 7, at the Teatro del Estado in Mexicali, highlighting investments in water infrastructure, transportation, education, economic development and social programs as she enters the final year of her administration.

Ávila Olmeda reviewed five years of her administration, emphasizing efforts to expand public services, strengthen economic competitiveness and improve opportunities across the state’s seven municipalities.

“Today, we are reporting on five years of decisions and results,” Ávila Olmeda said. “We continue working so that every person has the freedom and the means to build their own life project, and so that Baja California’s economic strength translates into well-being, independence and shared prosperity.”

The governor also addressed political challenges during her administration, saying she encountered criticism related to her gender and age as Baja California’s first female governor.

“We responded to disqualifications with public works, and to hatred by governing with our hearts leading the way,” she said.

Ávila Olmeda reaffirmed her commitment to continue working through Aug. 31, 2027, when her term is scheduled to end.

“The people elected us to work until the last minute of our administration,” she said.

One of the report’s major announcements involved the Playas de Rosarito desalination plant, which the governor said is under construction and will become the largest facility of its kind in Latin America.

The project represents a combined investment exceeding 15.6 billion pesos and is expected to increase water availability in the coastal region by as much as 45%, helping secure drinking water supplies for at least 30 years.

Ávila Olmeda said her administration has completed more than 100 drinking water, sewer and wastewater treatment projects statewide while coordinating with Mexican and U.S. authorities to address pollution in the Tijuana River.

“When you privatize water, it stops being a right and becomes a commodity,” she said, emphasizing her administration’s position that water access should remain a public priority.

Transportation improvements were another focus, particularly the Respira infrastructure program, which includes road rehabilitation, bridges, and highway connections across Baja California.

The governor highlighted the elevated viaduct in Tijuana and the recently opened Otay I connection, which is intended to improve commercial transportation near the U.S.-Mexico border.

She also discussed the Safer Streets program, which focuses on neighborhood street improvements, and recreational investments such as Parque Esperanto in Tijuana and Parque Laguna México in Mexicali.

“Today, Baja California is much better connected than it was five years ago and has new roads to go further,” Ávila Olmeda said.

Education featured prominently in the report, with Ávila Olmeda announcing plans to double funding for the Corazón de Cimarrón scholarship program in 2027.

The initiative helps students attending the Autonomous University of Baja California, or UABC, cover enrollment and re-enrollment expenses. According to the governor, more than 47,000 scholarships were awarded during the program’s first year.

“Today, I announce that for 2027, we are going to double the resources; we are going to double the scholarships,” she said.

Ávila Olmeda also highlighted two tuition-free Universidad Nacional Rosario Castellanos campuses established with support from President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration.

The Tijuana campus serves more than 3,000 students, while the Santa Isabel campus in Mexicali currently offers virtual and hybrid instruction, with in-person classes planned.

The governor said the state has expanded high school capacity, eliminating a shortage that previously left approximately 12,000 students without placements.

She also reported that more than 3,000 schools were rehabilitated, constructed or equipped during the past year, benefiting approximately 600,000 students through an investment exceeding 1.46 billion pesos.

Ávila Olmeda highlighted the state’s school meal program, saying all public elementary schools provide daily hot meals. She also reported that elementary school dropout rates fell to zero during the school year and that 97% of students completing elementary school continued into secondary education.

“Every scholarship, every school and every breakfast are part of the same vision: making the right to education effective, expanding freedom, reducing inequalities and opening opportunities throughout life,” she said.

Ávila Olmeda said Baja California has strengthened its position as a competitive destination for employment and investment through workforce development, infrastructure improvements and support for emerging industries.

According to the governor, the state recorded 1,107,000 workers affiliated with the Mexican Social Security Institute, or IMSS, in August 2026, while informal employment reached its lowest level since 2005.

She said Baja California ranks among Mexico’s five leading states for employment conditions and labor competitiveness.

The governor also highlighted Talento BC, an initiative supporting more than 15,000 students, educators and researchers while strengthening partnerships among universities and businesses.

“We want those who are studying today to find a place here to practice their profession, receive a decent salary and build their life project,” she said.

The governor outlined investments in recreational facilities, sports programs and cultural institutions, including improvements to Ciudad Deportiva in Mexicali and the High Performance Center in Tijuana.

She said the Respira program includes improvements to community parks and more than 30 soccer fields.

Cultural initiatives have expanded access to libraries, arts centers and educational programs in communities including Isla de Cedros, Villa de Jesús María and Bahía de los Ángeles.

According to Ávila Olmeda, approximately 6,000 children and adolescents participate in the state’s music education system.

She also recognized the work of Escuadrón Violeta, a state initiative focused on assisting women and addressing gender-based violence.

Ávila Olmeda thanked state legislators, federal security agencies, government employees and community organizations for supporting her administration’s initiatives.

She identified water security, transportation, educational access and economic competitiveness as priorities for the remainder of her term.

“Our vision of inclusive growth means that growing in Baja California should mean being able to get ahead here, that talent finds a place to develop, that work allows people to build assets and that a person’s background no longer limits their destiny,” she said.

Ávila Olmeda also said the state recorded its lowest level of informal employment since 2005.

She attributed those developments in part to policies intended to promote formal employment, social security coverage and improved working conditions.