Gabino Cué will not go after Ulises Ruiz

Governor of Oaxaca Gabino Cué said yesterday he would not go after his predecessor Ulises Ruiz:

"When we have an element that can establish that he has committed an irregularity,  we will proceed, but to date we cannot act."

How disappointing. After his six years of criminal misrule, no evidence cannot be found? I find that extremely hard to believe.

A defeat for Elba Esther Gordillo in Oaxaca: Piñeyro is out

After much pressure, governor Gabino Cué of Oaxaca fired his Government Secretary, essentially his second-in-command, Irma Piñeyro Arias. A former gubernatorial candidate for the PANAL party who dropped out in favor of Cué, she is an ally of the powerful SNTE head Elba Esther Gordillo. Her resignation is as such a defeat for Gordillo, and a victory in particular for the "dissident" wing of SNTE in Oaxaca, Section 22, which has long demanded her resignation. New Government secretary is Jesús Martínez Álvarez, who was notably governor briefly in the mid-1980s.

Ulises Ruiz's government: 13 key cabinet officials stole 4 billion pesos

A couple of days ago, Perla Woorlichs Fernández, the state comptroller of Oaxaca, announced that a whopping 32 public servants of Ulises Ruiz's government, including 13 in key cabinet positions, are implicated in the stealing of almost four billion pesos.

This is only a partial result of the ongoing investigation into Ruiz' disastrous rule of Oaxaca, 2004-2010.

It is important to note that just a month before leaving power, Ruiz' PRI-controlled congress trumped through a law that depenalized embezzlement. It is probably the only far-sighted measure taken by the priístas.

Now, current governor Gabino Cué calls on Ruiz himself for an explanation, and pointedly noted, "he is not exempt."

Here is a great PDF graphic that outlines where the money was allegedly - very probably - stolen from.

Oaxaca: The first arrest in Cué's corruption probe. Who's next?

The first arrest: Gonzalo Ruiz Cerón, coordinator of transportation under Ulises Ruiz' brutal and corrupt rule of Oaxaca (2005-2011), was arrested by Oaxaca police, following an arrest warrant where he is accused of trafficking in licensing and permits for public transportation.

Governor  Gabino Cué, to recall, is following up on his campaign promises by performing a thorough audit of the previous PRI government, and said there are pending processes against a dozen other ex-functionaries of Ruiz' government.

All good and well, to be sure, but will Cué have the guts - and strength - to in the end finally go after Ulises Ruiz himself?

Oaxaca shut down for second day after teachers protest

Fourteen thousand schools shut down in Oaxaca. 1.3 million students left without school, as their teachers are continuing their actions against the state government of Oaxaca, protests that appear increasingly radical: Yesterday, members of the 73-thousand strong teachers union, SNTE Sección 22, having earlier shut down virtually the entire Oaxaca downtown, upped the ante by blocking down shops and commercial centers, government offices, and even taking a highway tollbooth. 

From what I can tell, Governor Gabino Cué has bent over backwards to appease the teachers, which insist the state has been awarded much more money meant for them, and demand the firing of several government functionaries. 

Yet far from being a case of a downtrodden, overworked, and underpaid union demanding its legitimate rights, there is much more to this than meets the eye: Mexico's federal auditor has detected at least 10,000 aviadores or teachers in name only, who appear on government payrolls yet have never set their foot in any classroom. SNTE 22 demand the regular incorporation of 3,000 people, yet refuse to accept any auditing of these and their credentials. How many of these are now blocking downtown Oaxaca? 

Moreover: What will be the financial cost to Oaxaca, on of the poorest states in Mexico, and what will the future cost of again depriving students of their eduction?

One billion pesos' worth of "irregularities" in one year: Ulises Ruiz audit

In just the last year of  Ulises Ruiz's disastrous administration in Oaxaca, the state comptroller has found more than a billion pesos of "anomalies" and "irregularities," indicating a strong likelihood of government corruption and embezzlement. The audit continues for the entirety of Ruiz's government, but to repeat: One billion pesos in just 2010 alone.

Quite likely, given the determination of Governor Gabino Cué, some former state officials and administrators will end up behind the bars. Will Cué have the strength to go after Ruiz himself?

Gabino Cué follows through on promise to replicate Mexico City's social programs

Oaxaca governor Gabino Cué announced that the state has so far set aside 2.4 billion pesos for social programs similar to those in Mexico City championed first by Andrés Manuel López Obrador and then expanded by Marcelo Ebrard:

* 500 pesos paid monthly to 35,000 seniors
* 1,500 pesos paid to single mothers who have lost their jobs, for a maximum of three months
* Health and social insurance to 25,000 persons suffering from some kind of disability.

SNTE section 22 exposed: "Aviators"

The Auditoría Superior de la Federación (ASF) or the Mexican federal auditor, found that in Oaxaca in 2010, under then-Gover Ulises Ruiz, an "indeterminate" numbers of "teachers" affiliated with  dissident Section 22 of the national teachers union SNTE are so-called aviadores, literally aviators or fliers, a term referring to those who draw a state salary yet never set a foot in the classroom, only "flying" in to pick up the check (the term in Argentina, if I recall correctly, is ñoquis, after the Italian dish traditionally eaten on the 29th)

Three hundred "commissioners" of the SNTE section 22 was also on the state pay roll, paid to perform administrative tasks for the state yet working for the union instead.

AFI reports that the inflated/bloated/faked employee rolls cost the state at least 40 million pesos last year, a sum that could have been spent on the Oaxaca education system, among the absolute worst performing in the country, rather on propping up the teachers union.

Carlos Marín, writing in Milenio, claims at least 10,000 out of the 70,000 employed as teachers in Oaxaca, are aviadores. The real cost of this nefarious practice thus remains to be seen.

Lesson from the teacher? Kick him while he's down

From Milenio, the following photo of a teacher in action:

That's Sigfrido Olmedo,  subdirector of the Technical Secondary School No. 1 in the capital of Oaxaca. He is seen here kicking the Oaxaca secretary of public security, Marco Tulio López Escamilla, while he's already down. López Escamilla had walked over to Olmedo and other demonstrators to try to have a dialogue with them, clearly with little success. Olmedo, the teacher, was recognized by his own students.on Facebook.

More on Oaxaca disturbances: Who's the aggressor, Cué or SNTE section 22?

In Oaxaca, the "dissident" Sección 22 of the SNTE teachers union, which was engaged in violent clashes with the police, arranged a march through the streets of Oaxaca city that according to its own reports drew 70,000 (according to police 20,000), and demanded an apology from governor Gabino Cué, and the resignation of three members of his cabinet.

The demands were ostensibly due to the violent attack on Section 22 during President Felipe Calderón's visit here two days ago, where 20 people were injured, including 15 police.

Repeat: Out of 20 injured, three quarters were police, which were violently attacked by the "teachers.

I put this in quotation marks as it is well known, as Carlos Marín also notes today, a big chunk of them have never set foot in a classroom yet remain on the payrolls of the state of Oaxaca - a state that, to be sure, ranks near the bottom in terms of educational achievement. Yesterday's march certainly didn't help in this regard: Given that their teachers were busy marching, school was canceled yesterday for Oaxaca's 1.2 million students.

Be that as it may: I also noted another story on the violent clashes demonstrators-police, from Milenio. In a rough translation, here is a section of it that I found particularly telling:

The event that was scheduled with President Calderón at the Government Palace lasted barely half an hour. At that time, the head of state public security, Marco Tulio Lopez, tried to mediate, but was attacked. He carried a shield and tried to get close to have a dialogue, but he was disarmed and beaten. Protesters covered with scarves seized and held him. His bodyguards tried to rescue him, which started a second clash that left more injured, including the former member of APPO, Marcelino Coache. During the clash the teachers took three policewomen hostage, who were moved to one of their union headquarters. Later they were rescued by police. Some police cars were destroyed, and a bus was burned. 

Azael Santiago Chepi, head of Section 22, argued that their demonstration on Tuesday was pacific, but that  they were attacked by the police. With three police hurt to every wounded teacher, for being school teachers, they sure knew how to defend themselves.

New Oaxaca disturbances: The smell of a rat

Something doesn't add up in Oaxaca.

Yesterday, teachers of the dissident Section 22 of the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE), clashed with federal and state police in Oaxaca city, site of a visit by President Felipe Calderón. Notably, the teachers (if that is what they are) loudly attacked the government of Gabino Cué for its "aggression," and declared it would launch a strike, blockades, "take" and occupy the government house, and so forth.

This just doesn't make sense. This rush to denounce Gabino Cué smells of a rat. For one, most of the police were federal, and were there due to Calderón's visit. To pin the tag of "depressor" on Cué seems really out of place.

Second, yesterday I watched Milenio TV, a very decent canal of live Mexican television news (if you can stand the usual sexism of Mexican TV: Weather ladies dressed like prostitutes). From these images, rather than a group of peaceful demonstrators being attacked by cruel police, the picture actually looked quite the opposite: The police were cowering behind shields, while very aggressive demonstrators were attacking them, hurling objects, and setting police and other cars on fire, and including a huge bus.

I don't mean in any way to downplay the very serious and recurrent issue of police brutality, especially from the Federal police and the EMP, the presidential guard, which has been on display far too often. In this case, the demonstrators might, for instance, well have been angered by previous police actions. But from what I saw in the televised images from Milenio, SNTE Sección 22 simply looked ready for a fight.

While their anger against Calderón would seem to stem from the recent decree that allows tax deduction for tuition for private schools - in effect, a subsidy of the middle and upper class - it seems to me the teacher union was simply too eager to take on the state government, which, as it were, only weeks ago declared it would eliminate the so-called aviadores from the state's pay rolls, or "teachers" who are teachers in name only yet still draw a salary from the state.

In Oaxaca, then, I think I smell a rat.

Oaxaca to plant 30 million trees. Gabino Cué delivers.

Via The Mexico Institute, here's finally some English-language of Oaxaca's progressive governor Gabino Cué, published in the Miami Herald:

"There were no computers," he recalled. "We found that the staff payroll didn't match who actually was working. ... The bank statements were out of balance. The state automotive fleet was in terrible shape."On his way out the door, outgoing PRI Gov. Ulises Ruiz installed dozens of loyalists in state jobs with union protection even though they had no jobs to perform, Cue said. Ruiz also offered gifts to key allies, among them the head of the state electoral commission, for unexplained "services rendered."

On the topic of Cué, whose government so far has seem notably intent on delivering on his campaign promises, the governor launched the state's Comité Estatal de Prevención y Combate de Incendios Forestales, or committee to prevent and fight forest fires, and declared that Oaxaca would plant 10 million trees in 2011 - Cué attributed the low figure to unexpected adminsitrative difficulties (see above) - yet that a notable 30 million trees would be planted in 2012. Change to believe in? Hopefully these news will be picked up in English-language media; the state-level initiatives to combat deforestation remains an untold tale (and something I hope to work on the coming fall).

In Oaxaca, Governor Gabino Cué sticks to his promise and proposes constitutional changes

Gabino Cué appears to be a man of his word as newly installed governor of Oaxaca: It was just announced that he has sent 75 proposed changes to the state constitution, which notably includes the mechanism of a recall referendum, as well as allowing for referendums. These will need 28 votes to pass; as his broad PAN-PRD-PT-Convergencia coalition only has 23 seats, some opposition support is necessary.

Oaxaca's Gabino Cué again standing up for change: Against SNTE "aviators"

More good news that Governor Gabino Cué is serious about taking on the old powers-that-be in Oaxaca: His government  declared a purge of the state institute of public education, in the hands of Elba Esther Gordillo's SNTE teachers union (the largest in Latin America), with the goal to rid it of the aviadores, literally "aviators," or hundreds or even thousands of "teachers" who appear on the public payroll, yet have never set a foot in a classroom, and are often rather used as shock troops for Gordillo's SNTE and her PANAL party, during election time.

More good news from Oaxaca; may more be on its way.

Ulises Ruiz under investigation in Oaxaca

It has been long said that Ulises Ruiz greatest fear is to wind up in jail. Long in running but ever more realistic, given the determination of the new Oaxaca state administration, led by Governor Gabino Cué, to investigate the administration (2004-2010) of the former governor.

This, given "inconsistencies demonstrated in the state of accounts presented, as well as operations and items that must be clarified," according to Perla Woorlich Fernández, new head of Oaxaca's office of the Comptroller and government Transparency (Secretaría de la Contraloría y Transparencia Gubernamental). 

As La Jornada reports, Ruiz leaves a state in shambles, where patients are dying in Oaxaca's hospitals due to lack of personnel and equipment.

Woorlich Fernández, now heading what appears a quite exhaustive investigation of said accounds,  told El Universal that the previous government handed out no information on its spending, payrolls, contracts for long-term services for infrastructure and equipment, and so forth. In this regard, Ruiz at least remained consistent with the way he governed.

My favorite quotes regarding the information the former government did claim to provide, according to the former PAN legislator-turned-auditor: "it does not explain clearly the situation of the entity at the beginning of its government, nor relevant details of the actions undertaken during the period 2004-2001 government administration..." and "the different sources of information differ substantially from each other, where it is impossible to know exactly of any public works for the period 2004-2010, both those carried out as well as those currently underway, and their actual cost."

In short, Ruiz left information about... absolutely nothing!

Gabino Cué certainly has a daunting task ahead of him. For the sake of seeking to address one of Mexico's absolute worst ills - impunity - I hope we can take his comptroller's words at face value: "We will apply the law in case of detecting irregularities"

Gabino Cué counterattacks as Oaxaca political instability in municipalities continue

As groups mostly tied to the PRI continue the "taking" of 20 municipalities, most of them of the usos y costumbres type, where they refuse to hand over power, following 8 decades of hegemony, to the opposition, the state electoral institute of Oaxaca, IEEA, quite abruptly annulled the electoral result in a whopping 47 (or 48) districts.

Yet Governor Gabino Cué reacted quite strongly to this, arguing that "something failed" in the EEAA, questioning the EEAA´s decision as "strange" and unprecedented.

Moreover, in addition to promising "measures" against the taking of the 20-plus municipalities, mostly due to post-electoral disputes, Cué met with the provisional authorities of the 48 districts where the elections were cancelled, and announced that they would not receive any resources or be allowed to carry out major works, until new and duly elected authorities come to power. Not too subtly, he warned against the elections bringing into power new political groups" given that in the districts were the elections were cancelled, they had been overwhelmingly won by Cué's opposition.

Cué appears to be putting his foot down and taking a stand here: This is a good sign for the authority of his administration.

Oaxaca usos y costumbres: In 27 municipalities, PRI resist with violence relinquishing power

During this week's change of power of these 570 municipalities, many of which the PRI had lost for the very first time, PRI thugs resisted with violence relinquishing power in at least 27 of them. In San José Tenango muncipality, for instance, a group led by losing PRI candidate Basilio Martínez Calvo, shot and attacked with machetes seven supporters of the incoming mayor Emilio Herrera Martínez, of the leftwing PRD, as well as smashing the mayor office and setting a vehicle on fire. 

Amador Jara Cruz, head of the Oaxaca state PRD branch, said the priísta thugs were encouraged by Federal Deputy Elpidio Concha Arellano of the PRI, with the explicit intent of destabilizing the new state government of Gabino Cué.

(El Universal reports that the transition was delayed in 48 municipalities due to violence and disturbances)

With the coming to power of Gabino Cué Monteagudo as head of a broad left coalition that was also backed by the right-leaning PAN, Oaxaca recently changed governor, ending more than 80 years of PRI hegemony. Until the historic elections in July 2010, the PRI also had managed a majority of the state's 570 municipalities, out of which only 152 elect their leadership through a competition by political parties, while the remaining 3/4 are so-called usos y costumbres, electing/selecting leaders through traditional practices. While meant to guarantee a certain level of autonomy for Oaxaca's indigenous population, the system of communal power sharing, dating from the 16th century, has nonetheless been increasingly criticized for its potential for abuse, including discrimination against women, and of having been hegemonized by groups sympathetic to the PRI.

One case in point regarding discrimination is the infamous case of Santa María Quiegolani, a predominantly Zapotec community, where Eufrosina Cruz Mendoza three years ago was denied assuming as municipal president by the communal council because she was a woman. As critics of the usos y costumbres system (found predominantly in Oaxaca but also in a few other states) have pointed out, these municipalities remain among the least developed in Mexico, and are often quite socially regressive, to the point where the father of the family often decides the groom for his 12-year old daughter. (See article by Carlos Marín). As for Santa María Quiegolani, to its credit, the Oaxaca state congress just made her the new president of the legislature.

Many political actors, as well as the archbishop of Oaxaca, has called upon Governor Gabino Cué to revise the system. Perhaps the recent violent episodes in relation with the changing of power will provide more impetus toward having a serious look at whether the usos y costumbres really serve the benefit of the people, or whether they are merely subverted and abused by the PRI.

Institutional innovation: Cué proposes recall referendum

In his inaugural speech yesterday day, Gabino Cué announced he would send a proposal to congress for "revocation of mandate," or simply put the mechanism of a recall referendum.


This is excellent news. I am a strong critic of the excessive length of the term of governors in Mexico, which in most cases is six years, and a recall referendum seems like an excellent tool if the desired goal is indeed to introduce more accountability in the political system. While the details of Cué's proposal are not known as yet, these typically involve a petition by a certain percentage of the electorate, which would turn it over to the government, who would then, if the petition is valid, call for a referendum where people are asked whether they want the sitting government out or not.


The very idea of a recall referendum, if used responsibly, is quite an institutional innovation. Credit must go here to Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, who, as far as I know, was the first country on earth to implement this mechanism, and actually allowed one to be held. So far, from what I gather, only Bolivia and Ecuador, have followed suit in their new constitutions.


One final line from Cué:
"Woe to those  who under my term will but their personal well being ahead of the Oaxacan people!"


Ojalá que sí.

At last: Governor Gabino Cué of Oaxaca - how sweet it sounds

A big, big day for Oaxaca, and Mexico: The end of the despotic caciquismo of Ulises Ruiz came to an end with the assumption of Gabino Cué as governor of Oaxaca, 2010-2016.

Before the event, Ulises Ruiz had already informed that he would not attend the swearing-in of his successor, conveniently if pathetically using the excuse that he had to addend rather the ceremony of
Carlos Lozano de la Torre, new governor of Aguascalientes also sworn in today.

He might as well: In his speech, in the company of Interior Minister José Francisco Blake Mora, Cué declared,

"I will not allow impunity and there is no protection for those who by their actions betrayed the trust and the will of the people, and who tore apart the social fabric of the people of Oaxaca. But it will be only the law who can identify and punish the guilty, not personal or partisan political interests."

The all-but-direct reference to Ruiz ups the ante; the now former governor has more than enough reason to fear that he might be thrown in jail for his 6-year misrule of Oaxaca. Taking Cué at his words hardly leaves other alternatives than prison for Ulises Ruiz.

PRD: Ulises Ruiz Ortiz leaves 26 dead and a 10-fold rise in public debt

Oaxaca state legislator Carol Antonio Altamirano, coordinator of the PRD group in the Oaxaca legislature, said that Ulises Ruiz Ortiz will leave a debt of at least 26 murders, and a public debt that skyrocketed from half a million pesos to five billion pesos.

Ruiz, for his part, has warned against any "witch hunt" of his outgoing administration by the new one headed by Gabino Cué.

I say let the witch hunt begin.