Claudia Sheinbaum denied political persecution against Sandra Cuevas: “There was an abuse of authority”

Claudia Sheinbaum, head of government of Mexico City, said that she has not influenced the decisions taken by various agencies in the country's capital, which hold accusations against the mayor of Cuauhtémoc, Sandra Cuevas.

Through statements issued at a press conference, Sheinbaum categorically denied that political persecution against Cuevas was carried out, as the panista assured in a press conference after her first hearing in the North Prison.

“It is an issue where there was an abuse of authority to the Mexico City police; the police were beaten, they were humiliated, there was an abuse of authority and from there it is the police themselves who file their complaint with the Attorney General's Office of Mexico City,” said Claudia Sheinbaum.

He also assured that citizens of Cuauhtémoc have the right to know the accusations and the proceedings against Sandra Cuevas:

“It is very important that citizens know where it came from (the prosecution), so that it is known what is the reason for the prosecution to make this presentation and the decision of the judge who ultimately depends on the judiciary,” said the Head of Government.

Should Sandra Cuevas be separated from her duties for more than 60 days, Mexico City authorities could call for an extraordinary election to elect a new mayor, so Sheinbaum did not rule out that this process would take place because of the panorama of the case.

“What the Constitution establishes is that, if it is 60 days after the person is out of office before the first two years of his administration, there will be new elections,” said the official after being questioned about it.

If it is confirmed that the temporary suspension prevents her from exercising her duties for more than 60 days, the Organic Law on Mayors' Offices empowers the Head of Government to propose a list to the local Congress to elect a mayor or an interim mayor.

It should be noted that in the capital's Congress, Morena has a majority, having 29 deputies, while the Labour Party and the Green Ecologist have two representatives each, while the coalition that nominated Cuevas, composed of the PAN, PRI and PRD, has 28 legislators.

If this scenario arises, article 67 of the Mayors Act states that during the same session in which Congress votes on the list sent by the Head of Government and elects the interim person, the Legislature must request the City Electoral Institute to issue the call for the election of the Mayor or the Mayor who is due to conclude the respective term.

On Wednesday, March 16, Sandra Cuevas asked the Congress of Mexico City for a license to be absent from office for 15 days:

“I come to inform this sovereignty, that I will be absent from my assignment as mayor of Cuauhtémoc for no longer than 15 days, which will run from the date of signing this document,” she said.

After being provisionally suspended from office, the mayor of Cuauhtémoc, Sandra Cuevas, held a press conference in which she assured that the measures against her are excessive; for her part, the capital's prosecutor's office denied that political persecution is being carried out against her, since the agency “does not manufacture guilty”, but nor does it “make exonerations”.

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