Puebla’s governor, Alejandro Armenta of the ruling Morena party, has sparked controversy after suggesting that women should not lead interim city governments in municipalities plagued by organized crime.
Armenta made the remarks while discussing a recent wave of mayoral replacements across the state. He argued it would be “delicate” to place a woman in charge of an interim administration, especially in territories where criminal groups hold significant power and influence over local politics.
The governor’s comments came as he defended a decision by the state Congress, which appointed only men as interim mayors in several municipalities recently left without a sitting mayor. Armenta’s support for that all-male slate of appointments has drawn criticism from those who see it as reinforcing gender bias in local governance, particularly at a time when Mexico has made high-profile strides toward gender parity in politics, including electing its first female president.
Puebla, a state southeast of Mexico City, has seen growing concerns over cartel violence and its infiltration of municipal governments, with some mayors reportedly threatened or coerced by criminal organizations. Armenta has previously spoken about criminals impersonating officials to approach mayors directly.
For the full story and additional context in Spanish, read the original report from Reforma.
Original source
Reforma
Read the original: Dice Armenta: delicado que mujeres gobiernen zonas violentas
English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: Catedrales e Iglesias, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).