The popularity contest for the controller of controllers
It seems that the United Commissions on Transparency and Anti-Corruption (names that sound as good as “Ministry of Virtue”) have achieved the impossible: agree. In an act that many would describe as miraculous, they approved a report with six lucky finalists for ownership of the Internal Control Body (OIC) of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR). Do you remember the previous owner, Arturo Serrano Meneses? Of course yes, the gentleman who resigned on August 8 to, and this is the funniest thing, face investigations for alleged bribery. What a resume for the position of anti-corruption chief. The irony is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
The project was unanimously endorsed with 50 votes in favor. Unanimity! In Mexican politics. That only happens when either everyone wins something, or when the fear of looking bad in the photo is greater than the real disagreement. This spectacle of consensus has been handed over to the Political Coordination Board (Jucopo), where a select few will have the privilege of selecting the only candidate who deserves to be voted on in the plenary session. Because, of course, why rely on a broad process when you can delegate the final decision to a small committee? It’s democracy at its finest, or something like that.
The chosen ones: A review of the pristine (or not so pristine) resumes
According to the sacred dictum, all candidates accused of acts of corruption and nepotism were left out. Thank goodness, because it would be a true tragedy if someone with a slight history of corruption aspired to lead the OIC. The scandal! It’s comforting to know that our legislators have set a standard as high as “not having been caught…recently.” El Gran Diario de México had already reported on these neat exclusions, because in this country transparency sometimes seems like a spectacle sport.
So, who are the six enlightened ones who passed the filter? Well, we have a luxury cast:
Óscar Daniel del Río Serrano: Currently the office manager of the OIC of the FGR. Basically, the one who is already warming up the chair. In any normal job, that would give you an advantage, but this is the public service, where the temporary can become eternal.
Perla Lizeth Torres López: Former head of the OIC of the defunct Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT). “Extinct” is a word that gives a lot of confidence when talking about the institution where you worked. Nothing like a resume that includes the management of internal control of an organization that no longer exists.
César Iván Rodríguez Sánchez: Former head of the OIC of the National Transparency Institute (INAI). Another “ex” on the list. One would think that having been to the INAI is a plus, but with the current crisis of said institute, perhaps not so much.
Martha Patricia Carrillo Núñez: Former technical secretary of the Transparency and Anti-Corruption Commission of the Chamber of Deputies. I mean, he knows the people. That’s always helpful, especially when trying to navigate the turbulent waters of legislative politics.
Gabriela Limón García: Former head of the OIC of the CDMX Prosecutor’s Office and, oh, coincidence, appointed in October 2024 as Deputy Legal Attorney of Profeco. What a meteoric career. One could almost speculate about the convenient connections these promotions allow, but that would be in bad taste.
Sergio Paul Monroy Vicenteño: This gentleman is a repeater. He was an applicant in 2019, but did not show up for the interview. What a detail! Was it amnesia, a panic attack, or just a burst of honesty? The world will never know. Now he’s back at it, perhaps with a new alarm clock.
The official statement: Where words sound better than reality
The opinion, in a display of bureaucratic prose, states: “Once the files have been reviewed and the appearances of the applicants have been heard, under conditions of equality, gender parity, and taking into account the principle of non-discrimination… they consider that these are the profiles with the greatest experience, capacity, professionalism and trajectory.” Bravo! It sounds wonderful. It’s almost as if they’ve read a manual on how to write an impeccable statement. Gender parity is, of course, laudable, but one cannot help but wonder if, in the effort to meet the quota, the “career” is evaluated by the same standard for everyone. But hey, that would be questioning the process, and we here just watch with a sarcastic smile.
The proposal now rests in the lap of the Jucopo. These elected deputies will have the arduous task of choosing a single name for the final vote. It is the time of political bartering, behind-the-scenes negotiations and promises that no one hears but everyone intuits. The future anti-corruption czar of the FGR, the institution that desperately needs a dose of credibility, will be elected in what is, essentially, a popularity contest between political factions. What could go wrong?
It’s like choosing the person in charge of guarding the candy store by letting the most popular kids at school decide who is the most trustworthy. Faith in institutions, as always, is built on the basis of these small and transparent democratic exercises. Or so they want us to believe. The candle continues, and we, the public, are the privileged spectators of this fascinating reality show where the final prize is nothing more and nothing less than the supervision of integrity in the country’s main attorney general’s office. Don’t miss it.
Does it surprise you, outrage you, or does it simply seem like your daily bread? Share this note on your social networks and tell us what you think of this selection process. Do you think the chosen one will really be able to make a difference? Explore more content related to transparency and accountability on our site.
