This chapter examines how the López Obrador administration dismantled Mexico’s federal administrative capacities through austerity policies, centralized control, and discretionary budget reallocations. Drawing on legal, institutional, and empirical evidence, it shows how reforms framed as anti-corruption and republican austerity dismantled meritocratic structures, eroded professional expertise, and expanded presidential discretion. Key mechanisms included salary caps, hiring freezes, elimination of managerial positions, militarization of administrative functions, and the bypassing of legal and procedural safeguards. While these measures facilitated the execution of presidential priorities, they generated operational disruptions, weakened accountability, and reduced the state’s ability to design and implement effective public policies. The chapter argues that this deterioration ultimately diminished service quality and undermined democratic checks on executive power.