EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – The mayor of Juarez, Mexico, says he plans to take a 35-day leave of absence so he can run for reelection on June 2.
Monday’s announcement by Cruz Perez Cuellar comes as political rivals accuse him of misusing public resources and campaigning too early. They have filed eight complaints with the Chihuahua Electoral Elections Institute.
“The law does not require me to take a leave, but I want to do it during for the campaign, but the campaign doesn’t start until April 25. It’s a very short campaign,” the mayor said at a news conference.
The lawsuits allege Perez Cuellar has been openly promoting himself for reelection to a second three-year term and is behind endorsements painted on private walls around the city. The mayor denies this, and City Secretary Hector Ortiz Orpinel says a state elections tribunal has already dismissed three of the complaints.
“Some political parties say there has been an arbitrary use of public resources and anticipated campaign acts. It is all false,” Ortiz said.
He said the plaintiffs had demanded the city paint over the signs promoting the mayor. The tribunal ruled against that motion. “It is not supported by the law because (the walls) belong to private individuals. That would be asking us to do illegal acts such as limiting freedom of expression and using public resources” to repaint a wall, Ortiz said.
Perez Cuellar said he will stop inaugurating public works from March 1 through the June election. He said the city government in early April will decide who will be his stand-in.
“I have no names yet. I want to be careful not to rush things” so as to not invite further political attacks, he said.
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