Changes in Gordillo's Empire

Elba Esther Gordillo's daughter and former personal secretary have been given the top two positions in Nueva Alianza, which is kind of like the OWN of Mexican politics.

Carlos Loret notes that the new number two at the SNTE comes a bit further from Gordillo's personal circle than expected:

Withouth getting the attention that perhaps it deserved, a few days ago the controversial Elba Esther Gordillo named Juan Díaz has her number two in the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación, economically, politically, and numerically the most powerful union in Latin America.

For all [of her family members and inner circle of loyalists] there will be political space, because the expanse of positions that she controls is very large --SNTE, her own party, alliances with other parties, federal and local governments-- but the key is Díaz's position. Juan Díaz is described as serious, intelligence, fiercely loyal to Gordillo, severe, terse, made in the union.

Sounds like a hell of a fun guy.

Plus, while we're on the topic, Gordillo addressed her 2006 alliance with Calderón:

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.

I believe Ricardo Raphael's version holds that AMLO told one of her representatives that he didn't sit down with mafiosos.