Mexico Ruling Party Leader Proposes Raising Excise Taxes

The new leader of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s Morena party on Tuesday proposed an increase in excise taxes in Mexico on cigarettes, sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages in order to fund health care for people suffering from advanced diseases.

• Alfonso Ramirez Cuellar, who formerly led the lower house budget committee, said in a statement that Mexico could raise an additional 72 billion pesos if approved
• Ramirez proposes a 1 peso tax on each pack of cigarettes or liter of flavored drinks, alcohol and beer
• He said additional resources could be channeled to help provide free health care to ...