ASF Exposes Unexecuted Works and Failures in Navy Projects

In the review of the third 2024 public account, the Auditoría Superior de la Federación (ASF) identified various irregularities at the Ministry of the Navy (Semar), mainly related to cybersecurity failures and multimillion-peso payments for unexecuted works at naval and hospital facilities.

According to reports from the oversight body, although Semar resolved some operational observations during the audit process, significant weaknesses remain in the Information Technology area. In cybersecurity matters, the ASF evaluated 18 domains and concluded that 44.4% require strengthened controls, while 5.6% show a total lack of control, a situation that puts the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of institutional information at risk.

Likewise, in the management of technological assets, unregistered equipment was identified in inventories, software licenses whose validity began before the installation of the corresponding equipment, and computer equipment storage areas without adequate climate control systems, which could compromise the operation and security of the devices.

Overall, the ASF concluded that the most relevant irregularities at the Ministry of the Navy during 2024 relate to deficiencies in contractor oversight, payments for unfinished or nonexistent work, and omissions in compliance with health and digital security regulations, which could lead to administrative and financial liabilities.

Irregularities in Works and Strategic Projects

In the area of naval infrastructure, the ASF determined significant amounts pending clarification in several strategic projects. In Boca de Chila, Nayarit, 123.5 million pesos remain pending clarification, of which 92.2 million correspond to overpayments for unexecuted work in construction and lump-sum items. The lack of application of contractual penalties and withholdings for delays was also detected, as well as overpayments for indirect costs—such as freight, rentals, and paramedic services—without sufficient documentary support.

In Puerto Libertad, Sonora, the amount pending clarification totals 86.4 million pesos. Among the main findings are 80.4 million for paid but unexecuted work in 30 line items without logs, laboratory tests, or photographic evidence. In addition, the contractor failed to comply with the originally proposed construction method by using a traditional system instead of three-dimensional prefabricated modules, and key project components such as the weapons storage room, the interceptor dock, and the wastewater treatment plant were omitted, despite being included in the terms of reference.

At the Naval Regional Hospital in Manzanillo, Colima, the ASF determined 22.8 million pesos pending clarification. Of that total, 20.8 million correspond to overpayments for unexecuted work in areas such as the cistern, the equipment room, and urbanization works, in addition to differences of one million pesos between what was paid and what was actually built in three specific items.

In Dos Bocas, Paraíso, and Chiltepec, Tabasco, 519.2 thousand pesos were reported pending clarification. The audit detected payment for unexecuted items—such as waterproofing and construction of a perimeter wall—valued at 10.9 million pesos, which generated financial interest. The absence of a construction health permit issued by COFEPRIS was also noted, and the executive project lacked signatures and professional license numbers of the Director Responsible for Construction.

Context: since 2022, the Ministry of the Navy (Semar) has assumed operational and supervisory roles in several large-scale public projects, including sections of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, where the naval agency took on infrastructure, operations, and construction functions. These projects, promoted by the administration of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador as part of his development agenda, face controversies, technical questions, and growing scrutiny following incidents and accidents with human and material consequences.

The most tragic case so far was the derailment of the Interoceanic Train on December 28, 2025, when a convoy operated under Semar’s responsibility left the tracks in Nizanda, Oaxaca, causing multiple fatalities and dozens of injuries. This accident has revived questions about the quality of planning, technical oversight, and operational decisions in strategic railway projects under naval command.

In addition to the major accident, the Interoceanic route has recorded other incidents, such as collisions with vehicles along rail segments, which, although of lesser impact, reflect operational integration challenges in urban and rural areas. The Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) has initiated investigations that, beyond seeking criminal and administrative accountability, have scrutinized aspects such as personnel training and safety procedures in the operation of the railway system.

Audit bodies have pointed to technical and supervisory deficiencies in the work carried out prior to the accident, including errors in engineering studies, geometric failures in the tracks, and a lack of adequate controls over contractual processes, adding pressure for accountability and a more thorough review of how Semar manages civil infrastructure projects.

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