Elba Esther Gordillo, "leader for life" of the SNTE teachers union and de facto head of the PANAL party, was unusually frank about her political dealings in a press conference yesterday, where she confirmed that she made a pact with then-candidate Felipe Calderón for the PANAL party to vote for the PAN candidate, in exchange for getting to pick the head of the ISSSTE social security institute for state workers, the National lottery, and the executive of the National system of public security (SNSP).
Her son-in-law Fernando González Sánchez was also made subsecretary of education, though she didn't mention him.
And why Calderón? Here as well Gordillo was honest: He was the only one responding to her. To recall, she had been kicked out of the PRI, so no negotiation was possible there, and AMLO refused to even sit down with her to make a deal.
Now, the question is: Who is she negotiating with now? Has she settled for Enrique Peña Nieto, as earlier events strongly indicated, or is she still open for bids?
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Infamous Presunto Culpable judge Héctor Palomares confirmed for six more years
This is absolutely terrible: Héctor Palomares Medina, the infamous judge of the documentary Presunto Culpable/Presumed Guilty, has not only escaped any sanction at all for his behavior, but was reaffirmed for six more year by the Judicial Council of the Federal District - by unanimity!
One hardly needs a legal background to be able to opine on these matters - for many it was a shock to see how judges in Mexico behave, as demonstrated so well n Presunto Culpable. Yet to see Palomares being ratified for another full period, when he will sit until June 2017, is truly a slap in the face.
Judge Héctor Palomares is also facing another criminal complaint unrelated to the Presunto Culpable case of José Antonio Zúñiga,
Say whatever you want of the Federal district judges - they certainly look after each other.
This is a truly repugnant decision that deserves wide condemnation.
One hardly needs a legal background to be able to opine on these matters - for many it was a shock to see how judges in Mexico behave, as demonstrated so well n Presunto Culpable. Yet to see Palomares being ratified for another full period, when he will sit until June 2017, is truly a slap in the face.
Judge Héctor Palomares is also facing another criminal complaint unrelated to the Presunto Culpable case of José Antonio Zúñiga,
Say whatever you want of the Federal district judges - they certainly look after each other.
This is a truly repugnant decision that deserves wide condemnation.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Gay unions in Jalisco: Conservative panista's 180 degree turn
Its a most welcome conversion (and not the kind that many ultra-conservative panistas have in mind):
Fernando Guzmán Pérez Peláez, regarded as one of the most ultra-conservative members of the Jalisco government, where he is government secretary, declared that he is in favor of legalizing gaymarriage unions.
The same man, less than a year ago, was an active supporter of the ridiculous "gay conversion" movement.
What happened? Welcome news, regardless.
Next in line, the state governor, a drunken falangist who have stated that gays disgust him?
Fernando Guzmán Pérez Peláez, regarded as one of the most ultra-conservative members of the Jalisco government, where he is government secretary, declared that he is in favor of legalizing gay
The same man, less than a year ago, was an active supporter of the ridiculous "gay conversion" movement.
What happened? Welcome news, regardless.
Next in line, the state governor, a drunken falangist who have stated that gays disgust him?
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Who would the Virgin vote for?
And we're talking about the Virgen de Guadalupe, no less. See for yourself:
An organization calling itself Voto Católico claim to know who the Virgin would vote for in the upcoming Mexico State gubernatorial election: It sure is not PRD, nor is it PRI. Go to its Web site, www.votocatolico.com, and you will be offered a "voting guide" on the, according to Voto, absolute most important subjects in this election, such as abortion, gay rights, and euthanasia.
The electoral propaganda is, of course, illegal, as following the most recent electoral reform in Mexico, no outside groups can contract political advertisements. Yet tell that to Voto - after all, who can argue against anyone knowing the electoral preferences of the good Virgin?
An organization calling itself Voto Católico claim to know who the Virgin would vote for in the upcoming Mexico State gubernatorial election: It sure is not PRD, nor is it PRI. Go to its Web site, www.votocatolico.com, and you will be offered a "voting guide" on the, according to Voto, absolute most important subjects in this election, such as abortion, gay rights, and euthanasia.
The electoral propaganda is, of course, illegal, as following the most recent electoral reform in Mexico, no outside groups can contract political advertisements. Yet tell that to Voto - after all, who can argue against anyone knowing the electoral preferences of the good Virgin?
Michoacán: Senator Silvano Aureoles PRD's candidate for governor
Senator Silvano Aureoles appears to have triumphed in the internal PRD election in Michoacán to be that party's candidate for governor, and with a surprisingly big margin: Around more than double the votes than the runner-up, local deputy Enrique Bautista Villegas, and the PRD's national election commission says the lead is irreversible. According to La Jornada Michoacán, Bautista will, however, impugn the result.
One thing should be celebrated: There was absolutely no violence during the electoral process, where more than half a million participated.
With 67 percent of votes counted Aureoles has 108,000 vs. Bautista's 54,000. What is notable is that AMLO's preferred candidate - Fabiola Alanís Sámano - has so far only pulled around 13,000 or so. One fear within the PRDs now that rather than accepting the loss, Alanis will jump on a separate PT-Convergencia ticket in the state's general election in November.
The election was also a loss, of sorts, for the Cárdenas family - Bautista was their preferred candidate, as he was in 2007.
One thing should be celebrated: There was absolutely no violence during the electoral process, where more than half a million participated.
With 67 percent of votes counted Aureoles has 108,000 vs. Bautista's 54,000. What is notable is that AMLO's preferred candidate - Fabiola Alanís Sámano - has so far only pulled around 13,000 or so. One fear within the PRDs now that rather than accepting the loss, Alanis will jump on a separate PT-Convergencia ticket in the state's general election in November.
The election was also a loss, of sorts, for the Cárdenas family - Bautista was their preferred candidate, as he was in 2007.
On Calderón's government secretaries / ministers of the interior
El Universal has a useful article on Calderón's secretarias de gobernación, equivalent of interior ministers, of which there have been four so far. The article highlights a worrisome point: Not only does this represent lack of continuity on the top - 13 months tenure on average - but also a constant reappointment of personnel below (the article suggests a number of 40 "key functionaries")
This can´t possibly be good for continuation of policy, and institutional learning.
This can´t possibly be good for continuation of policy, and institutional learning.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Guanajuato: Defeat for El Yunque and Governor Juan Manuel Oliva
PAN in Guanajuato elected local deputy Gerardo Trujillo Flores to the important post of state party leader, ahead of the 2012 gubernatorial contest.
This is notable as he beat out Alejandra Reynoso Sánchez, the candidate of Governor Juan Manuel Oliva, who is identified with the far-right Catholic secret society El Yunque, as is outgoing state leader Fernando Torres Graciano.
This is a win for federal health secretary José Ángel Córdova Villalobos, a relatively progressive panista, who wants to be governor, yet is opposed by the governor and El Yunque.
This is notable as he beat out Alejandra Reynoso Sánchez, the candidate of Governor Juan Manuel Oliva, who is identified with the far-right Catholic secret society El Yunque, as is outgoing state leader Fernando Torres Graciano.
This is a win for federal health secretary José Ángel Córdova Villalobos, a relatively progressive panista, who wants to be governor, yet is opposed by the governor and El Yunque.
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