Enrique Peña Nieto to PRI: "There are no untouchable interests; the sole interest is protecting all Mexicans"

EPN charts new political course while fat cat labor leader, a former PRI boss, awaits her legal fate


*Updated Mar. 5 - no bail for Elba Esther Gordillo*
Guadalajara -
Less than a week after Mexican federal prosecutors charged a powerful and once well connected labor leader with embezzlement, tax evasion and organized crime activity, president Enrique Peña Nieto today told the 21st national assembly of the Institutional Revolutionary Party that PRI's "only interest is the national interest."

Peña Nieto's comments had special significance coming just days after the arrest of teachers' union boss Elba Esther Gordillo, who today sits in jail awaiting preliminary legal proceedings in a case which could land the 68 year old woman in prison for life. Gordillo was once a popular PRI insider.

With an official salary of about $2,500 dollars per month, the labor leader and several confederates have been charged with embezzling 2.6 billion pesos from the Mexican National Educational Workers Union (SNTE), a sum equal to $158 million dollars. Gordillo used the money to purchase two luxury waterfront homes - each with parking for a yacht - in San Diego. The properties have a joint value of $9 million dollars, She also spent millions on designer clothing and jewelry at Nieman Marcus stores in the United States, where Gordillo was such a frequent high end customer that the chain assigned her a personal shopping assistant. Mexicans are revelling at her courtroom photo, taken behind bars.

Speaking at PRI's convention today, Peña Nieto said that the days of internal corruption and rule by caudillos - a term for powerful political bosses - were a thing of the past in Mexico. Referring to the latter, the president said that PRI would "leave behind politically obsolete candidates."

"We're modernizing ourselves and remaking ourselves while we transform Mexico," promised Peña Nieto. He said that under his party's leadership the country would undergo "national reconstruction, with legislation on the cutting edge, enlightened public policies and grand social programs."

One of those programs would create a new federal government department specifically focused on the needs of senior citizens and other "vulnerable groups." Convention delegates approved the proposal.

"My responsibility is that Mexico fully develops all of its potential," Peña Nieto said. "There will be no special interests, no untouchable interests, only the national interest. I understand that the best way to help my party is by running a democratic presidency grounded in the rule of law, which delivers real results to Mexicans. I will make my decisions based only on what the country needs, as we face the challenges of the 21st century and together build a Mexico with a better future."

EPN on the campaign trail in Progreso, Yucatán, April 9, 2012

Emphasizing that PRI would be held fully accountable for its actions while it controls the federal government, the president said his party was "open to all who want to help change and modernize Mexico." Peña Nieto twice stressed the important role played by women in PRI politics, and he thanked them in particular for his victory in the presidential contest last year.

One of the purposes of the PRI convention was to update its core charter, which had remained largely unchanged for 80 years. Twenty PRI governors and 32 state party leaders attended the weekend meeting, along with senators, federal deputies, members of the presidential cabinet and hundreds of rank and file party workers. "We are a new generation of PRI," Peña Nieto told them, "necessary for Mexico's transformation. The success of PRI will depend on the success of Mexico."

Just a year ago the new president was preparing to launch his campaign amid claims that if he were elected, Mexico would return to the dark days of Institutional Revolutionary Party rule, characterized by a long line of authoritarian chief executives. Mexico's presidential campaign begins. PRI held the presidency from 1929 to 2000, and then lost it for two terms to the National Action Party, until 2012. .

Enrique Peña Nieto took the helm just before midnight on Nov. 30.

Mar. 5 - A note on the Esther Gordillo criminal case: Late last night a federal judge rejected her bid for immediate release from detention, finding that "the evidence is sufficient, at least at this stage, to demonstrate that the accused belonged to a criminal conspiracy from 2009 to 2012, the purpose of which was to transfer union funds from SNTE's business accounts to accounts held in the names of several other persons." Because of the gravity of the charges, Gordillo was denied bail.

Mar. 5 - No immunity from criminal prosecution for Mexican legislators, governors or public servants

Feb. 27 - Mexico's drug war disappearances: "official government list" still proves nothing
Feb. 19 - NY Times figures out, in Mexican drug war Enrique Peña Nieto = Felipe Calderón Hinojosa
Nov. 30 - Former Yucatán governor will collect her reward from PRI - for gross mismanagement

EPN's message to PRI loyalists was clear: when it comes to corruption, he'll take no prisoners


 © MGRR 2013. All rights reserved. This article may be cited or briefly quoted with proper attribution or a hyperlink, but not reproduced without permission.