Graco Ramírez

Graco Ramírez
Graco Ramírez
	Ramírez in Mexico, 2014
Governor of Morelos
	In office; 1 October 2012 – 1 October 2018
Preceded by	Marco Antonio Adame
Succeeded by	Cuauhtémoc Blanco
President of the National Conference of Governors
	In office; 19 November 2016 – 3 May 2017
Preceded by	Gabino Cué Monteagudo
Succeeded by	Miguel Angel Mancera
Personal details
Born	June 26, 1949 (age 75); Villahermosa, Tabasco
Political party	PRD (since 1989) ; PMS (1987–1989) ; PST (1975–1987)
Spouse	Elena Cepeda
Profession	Lawyer

Graco Luis Ramírez Garrido Abreu (born 26 June 1949) is a Mexican left-wing politician affiliated with the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) who was Governor of Morelos for the 2012–2018 term. He served in the upper house of Congress as senator representing the State of Morelos (2006–2012).

Personal life and education

Ramírez holds a bachelor's degree in law from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). He is the son of a member of the Mexican armed forces.^[1]

Political career

On several occasions, Ramirez stated that he was a leader of the student movement that culminated in the Tlatelolco massacre of October 2, 1968; at least one leader has challenged this assertion.^[2]^[3]

Ramírez began his political career as an Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) member; he served as president of the PRI in Tabasco. He then joined the Workers' Socialist Party (PST). In July 1987, it was announced that a faction of the PST led by Ramírez would join the newly-founded Mexican Socialist Party (PMS).^[4] The PMS dissolved in 1989 and he joined the Party of the Democratic Revolution.^{[citation needed]}

As the leader of the Morelos state legislature in 1995, Graco Ramirez led the first of several marches against then-governor Jorge Carrillo Olea because of alleged ties to drug trafficking and kidnapping. Carrillo was forced to resign in 1998.^[5]

Graco Ramírez has served more than one term in the lower house of Congress. In 2006 he was elected senator, hence he served in the upper house of Congress during the LX and LXI Legislatures (2006–2012). As senator, he promoted laws to allow independent candidates and citizen initiatives and consultations.^[6]

Graco Ramirez was elected Governor of Morelos in 2012. As governor, Ramirez was known as a progressive who supported women's rights^[7] and scholarships for needy students.^[8] In an effort to combat high crime rates in the state, Graco initiated a police reform program called Mando Unico wherein all the state and local police forces were united under a single command.^[9]^[10] Despite a promising start, both poverty and crime increased in the state; the "Mando Unico" in particular was accused of numerous human rights violations,^[3] and it was seen as a political organism.^[11] In 2016 an audit of the state university, UAEM revealed a shortfall of millions of pesos. Governor Ramirez and Alejandro Vera, the rector of the university, mutually accused one another of deviating funds for other purposes. Faced with the loss of their pensions, faculty and staff went on strike; a student march was supported by the Catholic bishop, Ramon Castro Castro.^[12] Then, following the earthquake of September 19, 2017, Graco and his wife were accused of seizing much-needed humanitarian aid destined for earthquake victims.^[13] By February, 2018, the man once considered a leading candidate for President of Mexico^[6]^[14] was the least popular governor in the country.^[15]

In a controversial move, Graco chose his stepson, Rodrigo Gayosso as PRD candidate for governor in 2018.^[16] Swept up in Andrés Manuel López Obrador's wave, Cuernavaca mayor Cuauhtémoc Blanco of the Juntos Haremos Historia (Together we will make history) coalition won the election.

Criminal accusations

On February 13, 2019, Cuauhtemoc Blanco formally accused Graco Ramirez; his wife, Elena Cepeda; his stepson, Rodrigo Gayosso; and a notary public, Javier Barona; for the crimes of organized crime, operations with resources of illicit origin, and tax fraud.^[17] On September 27, 2019, the government of the state of Morelos formally solicited a political trial against Ramirez due to his refusal to provide the Attorney General and the Electoral Commission sufficient funds with which to operate.^[18] Although the Electoral Commission requested MXN $35 million for the 2018 election, Ramirez provided on MXN $18 million.^[19] El Universal reports that Ramirez is being investigated for deviating funds of MXN $100 million related to concerts by Sting, Emmanuel, and Mijares. There are receipts that show Sting was paid USD $2,000,000 for a concert, but he had been paid on USD $900,000 for a similar concert in Viña del Mar, Chile.^[20]

Blanco alleged in September 2020 that he had proof that Graco and Alberto Capella Ibarra had an agreement with organized crime while Ramírez Garrido Abreu was governor.^[21]

References

^ Biografía del C. Gobernador Graco Ramírez at the Wayback Machine (archived November 8, 2014)
^ "Activismo de Graco en el 68, 'pensamiento mágico': Comité" [Graco activism in '68, 'magical thinking': Committee] (in Spanish). Sin Linea Multimedia. September 9, 2016. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Líder del 68 respalda lucha de la Universidad" [Leader of 68 supports the struggle of the University] (in Spanish). Gaceta UAEM virtual. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ Bolívar Meza, Rosendo (January–April 2004). "El proceso de aglutinamiento de la izquierda en México" (PDF). Estudios Políticos (in Spanish). 8 (1): 213. doi:10.22201/fcpys.24484903e.2004.1.37613. Retrieved 27 March 2023 – via SciELO.
^ "Graco revira a Carrillo Olea: él incubó al narco" [Graco turns on Carrillo Olea: he incubated the narco] (in Spanish). Proceso. May 14, 2011. Archived from the original on March 20, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ ^a ^b "225 Graco Ramírez Garrido Abreu, Gobernador del estado de Morelos" [225 Graco Ramírez Garrido Abreu Gobernador del estado de Morelos] (in Spanish). Líderes Mexicanos. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ "Resultados del Programa de Apoyo a Proyectos Productivos para Jefas de Familia Empresas de la Mujer Morelense 2014" [Results of the Support Program for Productive Projects for Female Heads of Women Companies of Morelense 2014] (in Spanish). Morelos: Secretaria de Desarrollo Social. Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ "Beca Salario" [Salary Scholarship] (in Spanish). Morelos: Secretaria de Educacion Publica. Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ "Se mantendrá el Mando Único policial sobre modelo municipal: Graco" [The Police Single Command on municipal model will be maintained: Graco] (in Spanish). Radio formula. September 13, 2017. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ "El Mando Único, la historia de cómo se implementó en Morelos" [The Single Command, the history of how it was implemented in Morelos] (in Spanish). nacion 321. Dec 28, 2016. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ "Mando Único Policial: el modelo fracasado" [Single Police Command: the failed model] (in Spanish). Proceso. December 16, 2017. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ "¿Qué está pasando en Morelos entre Graco Ramírez y el exrector de la UAEM, Alejandro Vera?" [What is happening in Morelos between Graco Ramírez and the UAEM ex-rector, Alejandro Vera] (in Spanish). Plumas Atomicas. November 11, 2017. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ "El sismo exhibe a Graco y a Elena, su esposa: los acusan de "lucrar" con el dolor, de "sinvergüenzas"" [The earthquake shows Graco and Elena, his wife: accused of "profiting" from pain, and being "scoundrels"] (in Spanish). Sin Embargo. September 26, 2017. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ "Graco Ramírez quiere ser candidato a la presidencia de México en el 2018" [Graco Ramirez wants to be a candidate for the presidency of Mexico in 2018] (in Spanish). 20 Minutos. September 1, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
^ "Graco Ramírez es considerado el gobernador más repudiado del país" [Graco Ramírez is considered the most repudiated governor of the country] (in Spanish). Huffington Post Mexico. Feb 22, 2018.
^ "Graco Ramírez impone a su hijastro como candidato a gobernador de Morelos" [Graco Ramírez imposes his stepson as candidate for governor of Morelos] (in Spanish). Los Angeles Press. March 21, 2019. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ "Cuauhtémoc Blanco denuncia a Graco Ramírez por delincuencia organizada" [Cuauhtémoc Blanco denounces Graco Ramírez for organized crime] (in Spanish). La Jornada. February 13, 2019. Retrieved Feb 13, 2019.
^ ADÍN CASTILLO (Sep 28, 2019), "Para evitar sanción, 'El Bronco' recurre a la SCJN; LAS CLAVES: Political Trial" [To avoid sanctions, 'El Bronco' turns to the SCJN; Key stories: Political Trial], Milenio (in Spanish)
^ Susana Paredes (Oct 16, 2019). "Asfixió Graco Ramírez a los órganos electorales" [Graco Ramírez choked the electoral organisms]. El Sol de Cuernavaca (in Spanish).
^ "Investigan desvíos en gobierno de Graco Ramírez en Morelos" [Investigate deviations in the government of Graco Ramirez]. Forbes Mexico (in Spanish). Oct 2, 2019.
^ Monroy, David. "Hay pruebas de que Graco y Alberto Capella pactaron con la delincuencia: Cuauhtémoc". www.msn.com. Milenio. Retrieved September 12, 2020.