Accountability Lab
Mexico Annual Report
2025
Vision, Mission and Values
Leaders’ Overview of 2025
January 2025 brought a new reality for civil society, nationally, regionally, and globally. Within days, funding landscapes shifted, institutional pressures intensified, and the operating environment demanded rapid adaptation. For Accountability Lab Mexico, the year was defined by flexibility, openness, and creativity, guided by disciplined focus. Rather than retreat, we leaned into what we had spent the previous year refining: a sharper understanding of the democracy, rights, and governance ecosystem in Mexico and Latin America, and where we can add distinct value. 2025 was a year of being bolder, louder, and more present. We strengthened partnerships, deepened institutional dialogue, adopted a more vibrant communications approach, and acted with greater intention.
Our work operated across three critical intersections: between communities and institutions; between integrity and collaborative accountability; and between art, narrative, and public policy. CivActs advanced our role as a bridge between urban peripheries and participatory governance mechanisms, translating community priorities into institutional reform efforts. Integrity Icon 2025 became our most mobilizing edition to date, convening record nominations, votes, and public engagement at a time of declining institutional trust, while prompting a strategic shift toward peer learning and replication of good practices beyond individual recognition. Music4Change was designed from the ground up as a rights-centered program, weaving artistic creation with accountability and narrative change to confront polarization and the stigmatization of migrant communities. Across these efforts, we positioned the Lab as a strategic laboratory by connecting communities, public servants, artists, and reformers to generate concrete outcomes and systemic influence.
Looking ahead, we are building on this momentum with an unrelenting commitment to collaborative approaches. We are not here to reinvent the wheel, but to strengthen and expand impact through thought partnerships, intentional alliances, coalition-building, and the cultivation of both likely and unlikely networks. With a lean but mighty, highly committed and talented team, we enter 2026 prepared to deepen peer-based accountability models, scale community-to-institution bridges, and expand narrative interventions that speak to the democratic challenges of our time. In a context of strain, uncertainty, and volatility, our commitment remains constant: to strengthen the connective tissue between people, power, and possibility.
–Ana Lozano, Country Co-Lead
Vision and Mission
We bridge people and power to strengthen accountability, expand participatory governance, and harness art and collaboration to build more just and responsive institutions.
Values
Throughout 2025, as Accountability Lab advanced its translocal reimagining process, many of the values that are currently being formalized at the network level have been present in how we work. To us, integrity, learning, equity, transparency, and solidarity are a daily practice. We follow through on commitments, name challenges early, share information openly, and treat accountability as a constant discipline, both individually and collectively.
Care sits at the center of how we operationalize these principles, and it can look like self-care, collective care, and shared responsibility. We design processes that amplify voices and acknowledge power differences, facilitate conversations rather than dominate them, and work collegially rather than as lone actors. We continuously learn from communities, partners, and peers and generously share knowledge. In moments of pressure and constraint, we show up for one another and build partnerships, reinforcing trust, ownership, and mutual accountability as the foundation of our work.
The Impact We Created
Proximity To People
CivActs: Building bridges between citizens and institutions
In Yuguelito, a self-governed informal settlement in Iztapalapa, AL Mexico, supports residents in strengthening community-led accountability and access to public resources. After concluding a participatory diagnosis in 2024, 2025 focused on helping the community navigate formal participatory democracy mechanisms for the first time.
Through technical training and a fully participatory design process, residents co-created and submitted a “Safe Pathway” proposal to Mexico City’s Participatory Budget mechanism, integrating paving, lighting, and safety infrastructure along a high-risk corridor. The process equipped the community with tools to engage public funding systems and surfaced structural barriers limiting access for irregular settlements.
The data:
- 3x Community Assemblies – Gathering 250-300 residents each.
- 1x training to community coordinators and leaders
- 6 interviews with community leaders.
Integrity Icon: Advancing Accountability in a Time of Institutional Strain
As institutional autonomy in Mexico faces intense strain, the 2025 edition of Integrity Icon placed accountability at the forefront, highlighting integrity as the practiced, embodied foundation that sustains transparency, citizen oversight, and democratic governance. The campaign received 87 nominations from eight states and mobilized 11,067 public votes, extending the conversation on integrity into diverse institutional contexts across the country.
Five public servants were recognized for advancing accountability in distinct ways. In Nuevo León, Irene Zacarías strengthens citizen-centered transparency from the Secretariat of Citizen Participation through socially grounded and accessible strategies. In Sinaloa, Víctor Manuel Gallardo Barrazo draws on five decades of public service to promote an ethical culture from the Secretariat of Transparency and Accountability, while Itzé Coronel leads the country’s first Department of Women in Science, embedding a feminist perspective into public administration and defending transparency as a right. In Puebla, Miguel Ángel Galindo transforms public data into tools citizens can use from IMPLAN Puebla, earning national recognition for his strategic clarity. In Quintana Roo, Enriqueta Odette Ruiz advances participatory planning processes designed to endure beyond electoral cycles and place people at the center of public policy.
Itzé Coronel received the most public votes in the 2025 edition. Her work demonstrates that integrity is exercised through concrete policies that expand access, representation, and opportunity for historically excluded groups.
The Integrity Summit convened 526 participants, in person and via livestream, signaling strong public interest in advancing accountability beyond recognition into dialogue. In this campaign, people do not engage only by voting for the Icon who resonates most with them; they participate in redefining what public service should look like, elevating integrity as a shared civic standard rather than an individual exception.
The data:
- Nominations: 87
- Men: 22 (25.3%)
- Women: 65 (74.7%)
- Participant states: Sinaloa (66), Quintana Roo (9), Nuevo León (4), Jalisco (2), Estado de México (2), Puebla (2), Hidalgo (1), Oaxaca (1)
- Winners: 5
- Jury: 4
- Total votes received: 11,067
- Integrity Summit:
- In Person Attendees: 111
- Virtual Attendees: 415
Music4Change: Narrative Change Through Artistic Creation
In 2025, Music4Change completed its artistic creation phase through a program co-designed with our fellows, singer-songwriters, and community practitioners Leiden and Ireri Almonte. Over three months, participants in mobility contexts engaged in testimonial songwriting, composing four individual songs and one collective piece that reflect their lived experiences.
This body of work centers hope, dignity, identity, and rights in an increasingly polarized environment where migrant communities face stigma and disinformation. As this phase concluded, we entered the demanding process of copyright registration and patrimonial rights protection, a core tenet of the program, particularly relevant when collaborating with migrant artists navigating legal precarity.
The next phase will focus on strategic dissemination and public engagement, using these artistic outputs to challenge anti-immigrant narratives and counter disinformation. m4c reflects our conviction that art is a powerful instrument for reshaping public narratives and strengthening democratic inclusion.
The data:
- Total participants: 37
- Distribution by gender:
- Women: 19 (52.8%)
- Men: 15 (41.7%)
- Non binary: 1 (2.8%)
- Other identity: 1 (2.8%)
- Distribution by age group:
- Adults (18+): 16 (44.4%)
- Minors: 20 (55.6%)
- Distribution by country of origin:
- Venezuela: 21 (58.3%)
- Colombia: 7 (19.4%)
- Honduras: 4 (11.1%)
- Chile: 1 (2.8%)
- Panamá: 1 (2.8%)
- Ecuador: 1 (2.8%)
- Guatemala: 1 (2.8%)
- Number of participants who reached the final stage of the program and participated fully in the songwriting process: 8
- Total of completed and recorded songs: 5
Proximity To Power
Integrity Icon
For the campaign’s call for nominations, we partnered with the National Anti-Corruption System (SNA) and the Permanent Commission of State-Federation Comptrollers to amplify the call for nominations and elevate best practices from within public institutions. Leaders from both bodies publicly acknowledged the importance of initiatives like Integrity Icon at a time of declining trust in institutions, underscoring the need to spotlight integrity as a cornerstone of democratic accountability.
The Integrity Summit, held in partnership with Práctica Lab through its flagship forum Política Nocturna, the Summit convened senior policymakers for an open dialogue titled “Integrity and Good Governance: How Can Power Serve Rather Than Serve Itself?” Following the recognition of the five Icons, high-level officials, including Senator Javier Corral, OECD Senior Integrity Specialist Jacobo Pastor García Villarreal, Irais Barreto of the Secretariat of Anti-Corruption and Good Government, and Laura Enríquez Rodríguez, President Commissioner of InfoCDMX, engaged in direct dialogue with awardees and citizens, creating a rare space where institutional reform, public accountability, and exemplary practice converged.
CivActs
Participatory Budgeting Reform Dialogue
Following the rejection of Yuguelito’s Safe Pathway proposal on grounds linked to the settlement’s irregular status, which isn’t an official exclusion criterion, we systematized the learnings from this experience and documented implementation gaps within Mexico City’s Participatory Budget mechanism. The resulting diagnostic, outlining technical and strategic recommendations, was presented to the Mexico City Electoral Institute (IECM), which oversees mechanisms for citizen participation. The Institute opened a constructive dialogue, and our recommendations informed adjustments for the 2026-2027 cycle, including clearer evaluation criteria, increased transparency, and improved training for borough authorities and project evaluators. Conversations continue toward longer-term institutional collaboration.
Advancing the Safe Pathway Initiative.
In parallel, we pursued alternative institutional and political avenues to advance the community’s co-designed Safe Pathway project. As a result, local Congresswoman Valeria Cruz introduced a formal motion in the Mexico City Congress advocating for its implementation in Yuguelito. We continue working with her office and are preparing a coordination meeting with the Secretariat of Public Works and Services to move the project toward execution.
Music4Change
Beyond artistic creation, M4C engages directly with cultural governance systems to ensure that creative rights are protected in practice.
Following the recording of five original songs, we initiated the copyright registration process before INDAUTOR, Mexico’s National Copyright Institute, recognizing authorship and patrimonial rights as central to a rights-centered program. During this process, we encountered structural barriers that affect migrant creators who lack formal identity documents due to displacement and migration. As such, current copyright registration requirements risk excluding precisely those whose creative labor the law is meant to protect.
We are currently in direct dialogue with senior INDAUTOR officials to explore pathways to prevent migrant artists from being excluded from their legal rights. This engagement represents an ongoing effort to align cultural policy implementation with principles of inclusion, legal certainty, and equitable access to creative rights.
Other engagements
- AL Mexico was invited to attend the formal inauguration of Vania Pérez Morales as President of the National Anti-Corruption System (SNA) at the Senate, alongside senior public officials and representatives. The convening reaffirmed institutional commitments to strengthening anti-corruption efforts through collaboration between government and civil society. This engagement forms part of AL Mexico’s continued work alongside national accountability institutions, and the partnership informed the strategic direction of the 2025 Integrity Icon edition.
- AL Mexico participated in the Civil Society Organizations Core Group (Núcleo de Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil, NOSC) within the OGP Local framework during the collaborative development of Nuevo León’s second Open Government Action Plan. The process brought together state authorities, municipal governments, transparency institutions, and civil society organizations to jointly define and advance open governance commitments.Through NOSC, civil society organizations provided feedback, accompanied specific commitments, and contributed to strengthening the implementation of transparency, access to information, and participatory governance at the state level.
- AL Mexico was invited to participate in the First National Dialogue on Strengthening the Legislative Branch, a co-creation process convened by organizations Borde Político and Práctica Lab at the Congress of the Union to inform the development of a new legal framework for federal legislative practice. We contributed to the working group on Citizen Engagement and Open Parliament, alongside civil society and academic partners, presenting concrete proposals to enhance public hearings, structured consultations, and transparent citizen initiatives. These contributions were incorporated into the consolidated reform proposal, advancing dialogue toward a more open and accountable legislative branch.
- AL Mexico was invited to participate in the inaugural “Open Dialogue with Civil Society Organizations” convened by the newly established Secretariat of Anti-Corruption and Good Government.
The meeting, held in a small-group format with approximately ten organizations, aimed to strengthen structured collaboration between government and civil society around accountability and governance. Following this exchange, thematic working groups were established on issues including access to information, digital citizenship, integrity, open government, and civic engagement. These groups will begin operating in 2026, positioning civil society and Accountability Lab Mexico as a formal partner in shaping the next phase of anti-corruption policy at the national level.
Ecosystem Building
As part of CivActs, AL Mexico, in partnership with Ciudad Activa, delivered targeted training to community leaders and coordinators in Yuguelito on citizen participation mechanisms, with a focus on participatory budgeting. This effort strengthened local capacity to engage public institutions, navigate governance processes, and advocate for access to public services and budgets.
AL Mexico participated in the Financial Sustainability Program facilitated by La Sobremesa, alongside 11 organizations from across Latin America and beyond. The process strengthened our long-term financial planning and, critically, deepened relationships with peer organizations facing similar structural funding challenges. The cohort concluded with concrete sustainability roadmaps and a stronger regional network for mutual support and collaboration.
AL Mexico joined over 100 civil society organizations in a collective advocacy campaign led by Mexiro following the removal of the INAI and National Transparency System websites. The campaign raised alarm over the loss of institutional memory and access to information, a direct threat to democratic accountability. Our participation reinforced a coordinated civil society response in defense of transparency and the right to information in Mexico.
In October, AL Mexico hosted the HackCorruption Alumni Learning Event in Mexico City, bringing together high-performing teams from previous regional hackathons focused on developing digital solutions to combat corruption. The four-day convening strengthened collaboration among coders, activists, and civil society innovators, helping consolidate a cross-regional community of practice. The initiative was implemented by Accountability Lab in partnership with Development Gateway (an IREX Venture) and the Open Data Charter.
Following our participation in the 2024 co-design process of financial and non-financial mechanisms under the Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI), these efforts materialized in DemocráTICa, a regional program supporting pro-democracy initiatives across Latin America and the Caribbean through funding, digital strengthening, and community. Accountability Lab Mexico is part of the expert network and broader DemocráTICa community, contributing to regional strategies that protect human rights and expand civic space in digital environments.
In this capacity, Ana Lozano, Co-Lead and Director of Strategy and Advocacy, served as a mentor at FITS+Conexiones Bienestar Digital, organized by Wingu. The convening brought together actors from academia, government, media, business, and civil society to strengthen projects addressing digital well-being, cybersecurity, AI and algorithmic impact, and the defense of digital civic space, positioning AL Mexico within regional conversations on responsible technology and democratic resilience.
AL Mexico has regularly engaged with the Mexican Center for Philanthropy (CEMEFI), one of the country’s leading membership-based organizations advancing philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. Through participation in convenings such as the Citizen Collaboration Forum and as part of the Foundational Circle, we tested CEMEFI’s EnCausa platform and provided feedback, connecting with a broad ecosystem of civil society and private sector actors. This engagement expands AL Mexico’s presence within national sector-strengthening spaces and supports relationship-building beyond traditional governance networks.
In December, AL Mexico formally joined the Observation Network of the Mexico City Electoral Institute (IECM), a platform that brings together civil society organizations and citizen observers to monitor electoral processes, participatory democracy mechanisms, and the Institute’s institutional performance. Membership entails participation in technical working groups, exchange sessions, and specialized training to strengthen professional civic oversight. Through this engagement, AL Mexico contributes to reinforcing transparency, institutional accountability, and citizen accompaniment in Mexico City’s democratic processes.
Media Coverage
Key Articles
CivActs & the Safe Pathway project
Valeria Cruz, a local Congresswoman, introduced a formal motion in Congress to implement the “Safe Pathway” project in Yuguelito.
Integrity Icon
Itzé & Víctor Manuel
Itzé Coronel Salomón
Víctor Manuel Gallardo Barraza
Social media reach and highlights
Platform Highlights
- Primary visibility driver (78% of total reach).
- Achieved a strong 9.46% engagement rate, significantly above average benchmarks.
- Instagram Stories emerged as a high-performing format.
- Highest relative follower growth (+454%), reflecting successful positioning among professional and governance-focused audiences.
- Strong performance of impact-driven and partnership content.
- Event-related posts generated higher share rates.
Top Content Insights
Best-performing post: “Desde la Casa del Migrante Arcángel Rafael, lanzamos el primer piloto de Música X Cambio.” – “From Casa del Migrante Arcángel Rafael, we launched the first pilot of Music4Change.”
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- Topic: Music4Change Launch
- Format: Carousel Post/Photo dump
- Impressions: 11,619
- Story-driven and human-centered content.
- Educational/explainer post.
- Cross-audience amplification through strategic partnership.
Key Takeaways
- Instagram is consolidating as the main awareness and engagement channel.
- LinkedIn shows strong strategic growth potential despite a smaller base size.
- Strategic collaboration with higher-reach partner accounts expands visibility beyond our core audience.
Staff/Board
Ingrid Lowenberg
Operations & Programs Director + Country Co-Lead
Ana Laura Lozano
Strategy & Advocacy Director + Country Co-Lead
Sebastián Marín
Communications Officer
Karla Luna
Civic Engagement & Advocacy Officer
Leiden Gomis
Music4Change Fellow [From Aug to Dec 2025]
Blanca Aguerre
Programs Associate [From Feb to Dec 2025]
In 2025, Ingrid and Ana assumed their roles as Co-Leads of Accountability Lab Mexico, with Ingrid leading operations and programs, and Ana overseeing strategy and advocacy. In February, Sebastián joined as Communications Officer and Blanca as Program Associate. From August to December, Leiden Gomis joined the team as Music4Change Fellow. In September, Karla Luna joined the Lab as Civic Engagement & Advocacy Officer, strengthening the Lab’s work on participatory governance and institutional engagement.
Budget Highlights