TWO PANISTA WOMEN EXPELLED FROM PARTY

By Ana Maria Ruiz-Brown, Staff Writer-Translator

Juárez City Council members Olvido Espelosín de Alvarez and Elsa Almeida de Díaz were officially expelled from the right-of-center National Action Party (PAN) on October 31. PAN headquarters did not announce the decision until November 10. The two councilors, colloquially referred to as the "regidoras," had skirmished with former Mayor and PANista Ramon Galindo in council meetings throughout October. The two had questioned the legality of Galindo's seeking the governorship while still holding the position of Mayor and Municipal President. Galindo dismissed their complaints, saying the two regidoras had "hormonal problems." In a private session, everyone involved agreed to drop their differences for the sake of party unity.

Martín Vargas Téllez, member of the Honor and Justice Commission, explained that the expulsion was necessary because the councillors revealed confidential information to the public. Vargas Téllez explained the expulsion was based on PAN policy and that the councillors will maintain their positions on the City Council, but as independents. Before the expulsion of the regidoras, PAN held a 10 to 8 majority on the city council. The new alignment gives 10 votes to opposition parties: 5 for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), 2 for the new independents, and 1 each for the Green Party (PVEM), Workers' Party (PT), and the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD). PAN has 8 councilors.

In a November 10 interview, Espelosín de Alvarez mentioned that she and Almeida de Díaz were never against Ramon Galindo, but were only honouring their obligations as city councillors. She added, "Our crime was to demand our right to information" when they criticized Galindo for working on in his gubernatorial campaign from the Municipal Presidency. She continued, "When you lose track of the main objective, and the main concern is to be in power, you won't think clearly and you will do anything necessary to keep that position."

Espelosín also confirmed that she won't change her political party. She said she is a big admirer of the PAN's founder, Manuel Gomez Morín. "This is not the moment to abandon my principles, but to fight for Acción Nacional," she stated. "Let our doctrine be our guide." The councillors will protest the expulsion before PAN's National Executive Committee. Their arguments: 1) The decision of expulsion didn't follow procedure; 2) They were not notified of the process; 3) They didn't have any opportunity to defend their points.

New Mayor Enrique Flores Almeida considered the expulsion "an internal political party situation which must be solved by their members." He added, "I want to ask Olvido Espelosín de Alvarez and Elsa Almeida de Díaz to continue working for the community in a responsible way. Let's put our personal party problems aside and devote our energy to work."

Former Mayor Ramón Galindo, who received the city council's approval Oct. 31 to step down from his post, accused the councillors of "calumny" (false and malicious accusation) during a press conference November 12.

The PRD, PVEM, and PRI severely criticized the PAN action, and showed support to the "regidoras." The Greens invited the two to join their party.

Espelosín de Alvarez and Almeida de Díaz declined the invitations Nov. 14 in order to prepare their fight against the expulsion before the National Executive Committee of the PAN. Legislator Carlos Camacho will present the formal application, which will restart the procedure of the expulsion, this time following regulations. Olvido Espelosín said that the first explusion didn't follow the regulations of the party.

However, ten days later, on Nov. 24, at least one of the regidoras was listening more seriously to the offers from other parties. The Green Party (PVEM) local committee suggested to include the two expelled PAN City councillors in its list of precandidates for the Municipal Presidency. PVEM president José Luis Rodriguez Chavez said that he had had an interview with Elsa Almeida de Diaz and she is considering the proposal. Chavez also stated that Olvido Espelosín could be a precandidate for governor or a legislature position. Rodriguez Chavez informed there will be a state meeting in the first week of December to define and call the formal candidate for the governorship.

The Juárez City Council experienced another major change this month when new mayor Enrique Flores Almeida took control of the municipal administration of Ciudad Juárez on Nov. 1. The ex-mayor, Ramón Galindo, left his position to seek the nomination as state gubernatorial candidate. Flores Almeida, originally from Chihuahua, is a graduate of the University of Texas in El Paso with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He worked in the maquiladora industry and is involved in manufacturing companies. Actively sympathizing with the PAN since 1983, Flores Almeida commented he will support the fight against drug violence and deliquency and will continue developing the urban infrastructure.

Source: El Norte de Ciudad Juárez, Diario de Juárez