Eugenio Hernández Flores

Eugenio Javier Hernández Flores (born October 17, 1959) is a Mexican politician affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was the mayor of Ciudad Victoria from 2001 to 2004 and governor of Tamaulipas from 2004 to 2010, and was also a federal deputy in 2000 and coordinator of the Financial Committee of Tomás Yarrington during his campaign. On May 27, 2015, he was indicted on charges of money laundering alongside his brother-in-law Oscar Gomez Guerra by the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ).[1]

Eugenio Hernández Flores
Governor of Tamaulipas
In office
January 1, 2005 – December 31, 2010
Preceded byTomás Yarrington
Succeeded byEgidio Torre Cantú
Personal details
Born (1959-10-17) October 17, 1959 (age 65)
Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas
Political partyInstitutional Revolutionary Party
SpouseAdriana González
ProfessionCivil engineer

Personal life

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Born in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, he is the fourth child of Eugenio Hernández Balboa and Susana Flores Fernández. He studied civil engineering at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education. He is married to Adriana González de Hernández with whom he has four children. In his earliest professional life he worked in the construction industry, where he became President of the Chamber of the Mexican Construction Industry and President of the municipal Commission the Water and Sewer System.[2]

Political career

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He joined the Institutional Revolutionary Party in 1997.[3] In 1999 during the presidential campaign of Francisco Labastida Ochoa, Eugenio Hernández was appointed as state campaign coordinator in Tamaulipas. The same year, he was elected as general secretary of the Directive Committee of the PRI party.[2]

In year 2000 he was elected federal deputy of the V Electoral District, in this way he became part of 58th Congress where he was member in the Housing Commission and in Water resources one, as such he introduced the bill of reformation of article 46 of the Housing Workers Fund Law.[4] In that year he requested a permission of license as deputy to become a candidate in Ciudad Victoria's mayor election, which he won. He took the mayor's post in 2001.

Tamaulipas Governor

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In PRI's internal election he was appointed as candidate of that party to participate in the Tamaulipas Governor election to be run on June 26, 2004.[3] Thus, he took part in Governor's election against the opponent candidates: Gustavo Cárdenas of PAN, Álvaro Garza Cantú of the alliance formed by Party of the Democratic Revolution and Convergencia, and Bruno Álvarez of the Labor Party. The elections were run on November 14 and Eugenio Hernández was elected governor with 58.26% of all votes.[5]

He began his government on February 5, 2005. In May of that year, he introduced his Plan of Development of the State for the period 2005–2010, which was the guide for the public policy throughout his period of government,[6] his government was based in three strategic lines: I) Social Prosperity; II) Competitivity and Productivity; e III) Strong institutions and Government of results.[7]

 
Eugenio Hernández Flores in a meeting with US president Barack Obama and the president of Mexico Felipe Calderón in 2009.

His government was relevant for the constant fight against organized crime. He promoted an alliance with the rest of Mexican border states, the municipalities and federal government to avoid the traffic of arms and people between the United States and Mexico.[8] As the results of this agreement, it was allowed to the Mexican army to settle down in Tamaulipas with thousands of troops to manage the fight against drug dealers and look after custom services in Tamaulipas.[9] He expressed his agreement to make a public ballot question to put on people's consideration the possibility to impose the capital punishment as penalty for kidnapping and to stop the violence from crime. At the final stage of his government, Hernández Flores remarked that 42% of police members have been destituted as they were untrustworthy.[10]

With respect to relations with the US states bordering Tamaulipas, Hernández Flores was a principal critic of the immigration laws applied in Texas. He was against the barrier raised between the countries during his term in office.[11] In economic matters, he promoted the internal oil investments in Tamaulipas and the creation of jobs coming from that industry. Thus, when PetroleosMexicanos company announced that another refinery was going to be built in Mexico, Hernández Flores proposed that it be sited at Tamaulipas. It was ultimately decided that the refinery be built in the state of Hidalgo.[12]

During his term as governor, Fitch Ratings recognized excellent financial management in Tamaulipas.[13] Nevertheless, after his government he was accused of generating an over-indebtedness.[14]

Indictment

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On May 27, 2015, Hernández Flores was indicted on charges of money laundering alongside his brother-in-law Oscar Gomez Guerra by the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ), making him a fugitive wanted by the United States.[1] The charges concern a US$30 million sum plus US$2 million invested in three properties in McAllen, Texas, and a fourth property in Austin, Texas.[1]

Hernández Flores is seeking election as one of Tamaulipas's senators in the 2024 Senate election, occupying the first place on the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico's two-name formula.[15] His candidacy was upheld by the Federal Electoral Tribunal on May 15, 2024, despite his ongoing extradition proceedings.[16]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c "Former Tamaulipas Governor Indicted in Money Laundering Scheme with Brother-in-Law". United States Department of Justice. June 19, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Semblanza del gobernador". Gobierno de Tamaulipas. (in Spanish). 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  3. ^ a b Sánchez Treviño, Martin (26 June 2004). "Convención del PRI elige a Hernández Flores candidato a la gubernatura de Tamaulipas" (in Spanish). La Jornada.
  4. ^ Centro de Estudios Sociales y de Opinión Pública (5 June 2006). "Desempeño legislativo. Iniciativas turnadas a la Comisión de Vivienda durante la LVIII legislatura". Chamber of Deputies (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
  5. ^ Martínez, Fabiola y Sánchez, Martín (15 November 2004). "Sin problemas, el PRI gana en Tamaulipas" (in Spanish).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "El gobernador de Tamaulipas presenta el Plan Estatal de Desarrollo 2005-2010" (in Spanish). Crónica. 28 May 2005. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  7. ^ Gobierno de Tamaulipas (2005). "Plan Estatal de Desarrollo 2005-2011" (PDF). Texas University (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 May 2013.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "Fortalecen luchaanticrimen en el Noreste" (in Spanish). Impacto. 24 November 2010. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013.
  9. ^ Gustavo Castillo y Jesús Aranda (28 February 2010). "Ejército y Marina se encargarán de lasacciones contra el crimen en Tamaulipas" (in Spanish). Periódico La Jornada.
  10. ^ Martín Sánchez Treviño (9 December 2010). "Encara Tamaulipas violenciainédita: Eugenio Hernández" (in Spanish). La Jornada.
  11. ^ "El nuevo muro humilla a México: Hernández Flores" (in Spanish). 2 May 2008.
  12. ^ "Tamaulipas es, con Altamira, la opción ideal para la nueva refinería: Eugenio Hernández" (in Spanish). Periódico La Jornada. 26 March 2009.
  13. ^ "Tamaulipas consolida su "muy alta calificación crediticia"" (in Spanish). Periódico La Jornada. 12 October 2010.
  14. ^ Reyes Cruz; Juan Manuel (14 February 2011). "Tamaulipas está endeudado hasta el año 2027" (in Spanish). Excelsior.
  15. ^ "Elecciones 2024: Candidatas y candidatos". Instituto Nacional Electoral. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  16. ^ Pérez, Maritza (15 May 2024). "https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/politica/Avalan-candidatura-de-Eugenio-Hernandez-20240515-0131.html". El Economista. Retrieved 28 May 2024. {{cite news}}: External link in |title= (help)
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Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Tamaulipas
2005–2010
Succeeded by
Preceded by Mayor of Ciudad Victoria
2001–2004
Succeeded by