Mexico Initiates 'Coatlicue' Supercomputer Project to Lead Latin American High-Performance Computing

The Mexican government formally announced in November 2025 the launch of the 'Coatlicue' supercomputer project, a major national initiative intended to position the country as the foremost power in High-Performance Computing (HPC) across Latin America. Framed within the wider 'Plan México,' the strategic investment carries a projected two-year timeline, targeting full operational status by the close of 2027. President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, who took office in October 2024, has characterized the system as a public asset, stating the objective is for it to function as a "supercomputer for the people of Mexico."

The projected computational capacity for 'Coatlicue' is set at 314 petaflops, equivalent to 314,000 trillion calculations per second. This performance level marks a substantial technological advancement for Mexico, reportedly seven times more powerful than 'Pegaso,' currently Brazil’s most potent private supercomputer operating at 42 petaflops. Furthermore, 'Coatlicue' is expected to surpass Mexico’s previous most advanced system, 'Yucca' located in Sonora, by a factor exceeding one hundred. The system's architecture will incorporate an estimated 14,480 to 15,000 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) distributed across approximately 200 specialized, water-cooled cabinets, necessitating substantial energy and high-speed connectivity infrastructure.

The total public funding allocated for the endeavor is quantified at 6,000 million pesos. The government projects that operational costs can be offset by offering extensive computing services to the private sector, aiming for a self-sustaining operational model. José Antonio Peña Merino, Head of the Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications, confirmed that construction is scheduled to begin in January 2026. Merino noted that the system will serve as the central node for the National Supercomputing Cluster, which currently aggregates 9.45 petaflops across various nodes, including those at IPN and UNAM.

Rosaura Ruiz (Gutiérrez), Secretary of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation since January 2025, emphasized the project’s role in advancing scientific research and coordinating national technological strategy. Applications earmarked for 'Coatlicue' are diverse and critical to national planning, including advanced climate prediction, detailed modeling for water resource management, energy planning, and processing extensive fiscal and customs data. The system is intended to significantly reduce processing times for complex tasks that currently require weeks or months, thereby enabling faster public decision-making and supporting the development of artificial intelligence models previously inaccessible to the nation.

Logistical planning is ongoing, with the final installation site selection due in January 2026. This decision will weigh factors such as reliable water availability for cooling, consistent energy access, and regional seismic stability. In an initial phase, interim capacity will be hosted at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) under a formal agreement. This international cooperation will permit federal institutions to commence priority programs, such as meteorological modeling for disaster prevention, as early as January 2026 while the domestic system undergoes construction over 24 to 36 months, incorporating technology transfer and specialist training to cultivate a domestic HPC ecosystem.