Families that seek to perpetuate themselves in power

The names of children and relatives of lofty politicians will appear on the ballots on June 7.

Some examples are Mariana Moguel, daughter of Rosario Robles, Minister of Social Development; Néstor Núñez, son of Tabasco governor Arturo Núñez; Sylvana Beltrones, daughter of the coordinator of federal deputies of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Manlio Fabio Beltrones; Pablo Gamboa, son of the coordinator of PRI senators Emilio Gamboa; Felipe Cervera, son of the late governor of Yucatán Víctor Cervera Pacheco and Zaira Ochoa Valdivia, daughter of Rafael Ochoa Guzmán, former New Alliance Party senator and former right arm of Elba Esther Gordillo, who is also a plurinominal candidate.

Also Claudia Corichi, former senator of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) and daughter of Amalia García, former governor of Zacatecas, is on the list of candidates for the Citizens Movement. This means that even if her mother left a seat, Corichi would take another one on September 1.

Moreover the father of senator Fernando Yunes, Miguel Ángel Yunes Linares, is on the list of plurinominal candidates of the National Action Party (PAN) for the third constituency. Miguel Ángel Yunes was director of the Social Security Institute for State Workers (ISSSTE) and Deputy Minister of the Interior.

Mexico's Green Party (PVEM) also includes family members of its leading cadres in their multi-member lists.

This is the case of Alejandro Agundis, registered for the fifth constituency as a candidate for federal deputy. He is brother of Francisco Agundis Francisco, close to Senator Jorge Emilio González.

Also Andrés Díaz Larios, nephew of Héctor Larios, former coordinator of the PAN in the Senate and now senator, is registered as candidate to the Chamber of Deputies for the first constituency.

Marco Antonio García Ayala, local PRI deputy and leader of the workers of the Ministry of Health, seeks to have a set at the Chamber of Deputies. He is the nephew of senator Joel Ayala Almeida, leader of the Federation of Trade Unions of State Workers.

An elitist system

Alberto Aziz Nassif, a political scientist and professor at the Center for Research and Higher Studies in Social Anthropology (CIESAS), says that the problem stems from the mechanisms that each party has to assign candidatures, because they are vertical and elitist, and a portion is designated through kinship networks.

"The 'owners' of each party are the ones who decide, and last names influence the process. We have an elitist system," he explained.

Aziz Nassif believes that this affects the professionalization of work in Congress and the image of politicians.

Luis Carlos Ugalde, former president of the Federal Electoral Institute and now Integralia analyst, sees no problem as long as these candidatures are legal and fair.

"Everyone has the right to have a political career regardless of whether or not they are someone's child provided no improper support is given," Ugalde said.