mexico city spend cut failure mexico president upgrade earthquake alert system hurt life-saving prevention program amplify recovery cost two major temblors month current former government officials say although president enrique pena nieto eager show prompt competent response earthquakes kill 430 people budget recovery agencies threadbare due cost-cutting administration pena nieto unpopular centrist struggle get successor party ally elect president next july wednesday acknowledge problem urge lawmakers boost fund 2018 budget reconstruction need resources say government slash disaster budget much 50 percent recent years part broad cost-cutting effort make shortfalls cause drop oil revenues finance 20 percent mexico federal budget 2017 budget alone reduce fund mexico various disaster civil protection efforts 25 percent 8.6 billion pesos 475 million 2016 6.4 billion pesos statement pena nieto office defend performance say cutbacks could attribute solely presidency executive branch propose budget spend plan ultimately approve congress despite budget restrictions civil protection system strengthen recent years president office say statement cut last year prompt lawmakers warn report state relinquish responsibilities population give inevitable unknowable disaster risk two big quake damage hurricanes mexico hard-pressed find ways rebuild reconstruction fund zero pesos luis felipe puente government emergency service chief say interview president office say fund hind start reconstruction say insurance disaster bond augment federal coffers work readiness efforts however current problem clear example happen governments skimp prevention measure risk assessments early warn systems quake volcanic activity disasters accord unite nations every dollar spend preparedness save seven dollars response 2014 mexico federal auditor chastise government spend reconstruction prepare disasters invest prevention say enrique guevara former head mexico national center disaster prevention cenapred firstly save live secondly save money cenapred found wake massive 1985 quake kill thousands expenditure fell 20 percent 2012 2016 hurt upkeep national risk atlas low morale institution accord senior official request anonymity speak frankly government also slash 2017 budget two government fund finance disaster efforts official data show year budget fopreden fund prevention natural disasters cut 50 percent fonden large fund disaster relief lose quarter budget accord government spend plan addition reduce fund federal government efforts president turn ignore finance request another program officials say could help low disaster toll unlike previous administration former president felipe calderon pena nieto invest widely praise earthquake alert system credit save live since implement mexico city 1989. system center seismic instrumentation registry detect many quake across country sound warn give 20 million residents great mexico city crucial time evacuate build tremor arrive fund mostly city government currently operate less 30 million pesos per year system need monitor detect even temblors like 7.1 quake sept. 19. good detection system director say could give mexico city residents second warn day happen many locals say hear alarm grind begin shake repeat request pena nieto various federal agencies additional fund recent years meet olympic silence say juan manuel espinosa director statement president office say federal government obligation fund alarm system note shortfall past finance system state oaxaca contractual partner mexico city government finance pena nieto institutional revolutionary party pri cutbacks could create problems ballot box especially among mexican electorate increasingly ready change years corruption drug violence although pena nieto stand reelection pri rank third current projections july vote meanwhile rival like leftist frontrunner former mexico city mayor andres manuel lopez obrador poise take advantage missteps whoever get wrong feel effect election say gustavo mohar former mexican intelligence official run strategic risk consultancy recovery succeed government must find additional source finance estimate cost range billion accord government much billion calculation investment bank nomura puente emergency service chief say finance ministry may receive fund catastrophe bond issue world bank august could provide mexico 360 million protection certain quake storm aside house homeless rebuild government must also ensure spend disaster fund wisely transparently notoriously tricky task particularly administration many mexicans consider corrupt hard-hit capital least 206 people die volunteer help recovery work week say distrust government ability provide effective relief money anything say beatriz navarrete 21-year-old medical student man donations tent government really spend money beg medicine cut hurt mexico quake response outlook ahead 2018 vote