In a landmark move for technological advancement in the region, the Mexican government has unveiled ambitious plans to construct Latin America's most powerful supercomputer.
A Quantum Leap in Computing Power
The new system, named 'Coatlicue' after the Mexica earth mother goddess, represents a monumental upgrade for the nation's digital infrastructure. José Merino, head of the Telecommunications and Digital Transformation Agency, confirmed the machine would be a staggering seven times more powerful than the current regional leader located in Brazil.
During her morning news briefing on Wednesday 26 November 2025, President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed profound enthusiasm for the project. The academic and climate scientist stated that while the final location is yet to be determined, construction is scheduled to commence next year.
Revolutionising Mexico's AI and Data Capabilities
This technological behemoth is poised to catapult Mexico into the forefront of the artificial intelligence revolution. President Sheinbaum emphasised that 'It is going to allow Mexico to fully get in on the use of artificial intelligence and the processing of data that today we don’t have the capacity to do.'
The performance metrics reveal the sheer scale of this undertaking. Merino explained that Mexico's current most powerful supercomputer operates at 2.3 petaflops—a unit measuring computing speed where one petaflop equals one quadrillion operations per second. The new Coatlicue supercomputer will boast an unprecedented capacity of 314 petaflops.
Strategic Implications for Regional Tech Leadership
This strategic investment signifies Mexico's serious commitment to establishing itself as a dominant force in high-performance computing and artificial intelligence within Latin America. The government asserts that the project will enable the country to capitalise on the rapidly evolving applications of AI and exponentially expand its national computing capacity.
The development of Coatlicue marks a pivotal moment, not just for Mexico's technological sovereignty, but for the entire region's competitive standing in the global digital economy.
