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The new mayor of New York City is facing his first major political storm after a fare increase for public transportation went into effect this week, a move that directly contradicts one of his most repeated campaign promises: free buses for all residents.

For the past few days, millions of commuters have been paying more for their daily trips after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) implemented an increase that had been in the planning stages for months. With this adjustment, the base fare for both buses and subways rose from $2.90 to $3, a change that, while seemingly small, represents a significant impact for those who rely on public transportation every day.

The problem for the mayor isn't just the fare increase itself, but the political message it sends. During his campaign, he promised to alleviate the cost of urban mobility and even spoke of moving toward a free or heavily subsidized transit system, especially for lower-income residents. The fare hike has been interpreted by many citizens as an early betrayal of his campaign promises.

The city government has attempted to downplay the situation, pointing out that the decision was made by the MTA and that the increase was already planned before the new mayor took office. However, critics and commuters argue that this doesn't explain why no immediate alternative or clear plan was presented to fulfill the campaign promise.

On social media and in local news outlets, complaints have multiplied. For many New Yorkers, the fare increase comes at a time of economic hardship, with the cost of living rising and wages not always keeping pace. Civil organizations and transit user groups have already begun demanding clearer explanations and compensatory measures.

This episode is shaping up to be an early credibility test for the new administration: regardless of who technically approved the increase, the political cost falls on a mayor who came to power promising the exact opposite. The question now hanging in the air is whether his administration will manage to reconcile its promises with the city's financial reality, or if this will be just the first of several disappointments for his voters.