Roberto Velasco Álvarez, Mexico’s youngest-ever Secretary of Foreign Affairs, has quietly built a collection of four high-end Swiss mechanical watches over the past three years, according to his public asset declarations from 2023 to 2026. This stands in contrast to Morena’s austerity philosophy, which emphasizes modesty in public spending.

Velasco’s first luxury watch purchase was made on January 5, 2023: a Jaeger-LeCoultre model valued at 120,000 pesos, bought on credit as recorded in official documents available in the Public Servants Registry. Notably, Velasco reported this acquisition only on May 20, 2024, skipping a required asset declaration in between—a lapse that violates fiscal obligations under Mexico’s Tax Administration Service (SAT), which does not exempt pending debts or mortgages.

By that time, Velasco had already served four years as head of the North America Unit at the Foreign Affairs Secretariat (SRE). He left that post on October 13, 2025, to become Undersecretary for North America the following day, before officially assuming the role of Foreign Minister on April 1, 2026. His appointment was confirmed by the Senate a week later with broad support from Morena, PT, PVEM, and Movimiento Ciudadano.

One day in particular stands out: October 15, 2024. On that day, Velasco purchased a Longines watch for 59,900 pesos at Palacio de Hierro, a luxury department store. Simultaneously, he received a Rolex watch as an inheritance—a gift whose value was not declared. For context, secondhand Rolex watches in 2024 ranged between $8,000 and $15,000 USD (approximately 230,000 to 280,000 pesos), according to Watch Charts Analytics, a platform specializing in luxury watch resale.

The final piece in Velasco’s collection is an Omega watch, acquired as a gift on September 1, 2025—the same day President Claudia Sheinbaum delivered her first government report. The Omega was ceded to him at no cost, and while the exact model is unknown, Omega watches in 2025 typically ranged from 55,000 to over 500,000 pesos depending on style and condition. Most popular automatic steel models averaged between 105,000 and 162,000 pesos.

Interestingly, while Velasco’s official declarations list only these four watches, online images show him wearing at least six different watches since 2020, when he was still Director General of Social Communication at the SRE. This discrepancy raises questions about transparency and asset reporting.

In a political climate where public officials are expected to embody austerity and accountability, Velasco’s collection invites scrutiny. Yet, it also reflects the complex realities of public servants navigating personal assets and public expectations. For many migrants and young professionals following Mexico’s evolving political landscape, this story underscores the importance of transparency and the ongoing debate over wealth and governance in the country.