Jumping on the bandwagon? Jorge Castañeda, now against Gordillo

To be fair, Jorge Castañeda dedicates a chunk of his new book to criticizing Elba Esther Gordillo, head of the powerful SNTE teachers union, and accused of ultra-corruption. In a recent piece for Enfoque (direct PDF download here), which is well worth a read, he expands on the criticism. As such, I guess one can't accuse him of jumping entirely on the bandwagon, though the piece nonetheless does come across as more than a bit apologetic over his longtime bonds with Gordillo, a connection that seems to have been maintained first and foremost in the hope that Gordillo would do something for him - that is, help him become a presidential candidate. According to Castañeda, for 2012, Gordillo's main choice is now Marcelo Ebrard. I find that hard to believe.

Regardless: Given recent big-shot PRI members' recent criticism of Gordillo, of note is that Jacqueline Peschard, head of IFAI (federal institute of access to information), also speaks out against Gordillo, calling for an investigation.

Who's next? Has the tide really turned against Gordillo?

One can only hope.

Who is next?

SNTSEDESOL thugs shut down the secretariat of social development

Here's more than a bit of fuel to the fire for the argument that many of Mexico's unions are in desperate need of democratization and a thorough house cleaning of thugs:

Cristina Olvera, head of the union of employees of Mexico's social development secretariat (Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Secretaría de Desarrollo Social, SNTSEDESOL), led a few hundred workers to essentially shut down the federal secretariat, affecting millions: Due to the shutdown of services, everything from registration into social programs to the handing out of food to the elderly and children's nutrition program have been negatively affected.

And what was the glorious cause that led Olvera et al to block entrances and lock up the buildings with chains and padlocks, shutting down SEDESOL institutions all over the country?

The union is demanding the removal of the of Sedesol in Hidalgo, for having fired an employee who was accused of abusing a disabled child.  For that, they decided to screw over millions of poor, old and children, all over Mexico.

This is simply incredible.

On PRI's resurgence, take 3

The venerable British newspaper the Guardian also has a very good summary of the PRI's possible return to Los Pinos:

The PRI's patina of age may receive a new polish – thanks to telegenic young politicians like Ávila and Peña Nieto – but the party still has a long way to go in proving that it has shaken its authoritarian past and can govern democratically.

Indeed it does.