Ricardo Alemán quits El Universal - why?

It took me by surprise to read the title of Ricardo Alemán's colum in El Universal this morning: "Thanks to everyone - goodbye." After more than 3,500 columns and 14 years, Alemán suddenly declared he is out, and gives absolutely no reason why, though he emphasizes it has nothing to do with freedom of expression and is merely a personal decision. 


Alemán has been somewhat of a firebrand for the left. The scorn he has heaped over the PRD in general and AMLO in particular has made him quite a reviled figure for this segment of Mexicans, in particular as his columns has been regularly chock-full of innuendos, wild speculations and outright conspiracy theories. Yet like an old clock that has stopped, occasionally Alemán would hit the bullseye, and he at times wrote critically of the PAN and PRI as well. It certainly was never boring to read his stuff, so by this yardstick he certainly was a successful columnist. Among all the columns and editorials of El Universal, his would usually show up as "most read."


Yet why is he leaving now? Perhaps it is fitting that he leaves no particular reason, allowing for the conspiracy theorists to grab hold. Was it his accusation that PRD's candidate in Baja California Sur is a narco? Did El Universal finally tire of his one-sidedness? I really don't know, but would love any suggestions.