Añorve May Be the Mayor Again, Starting Tomorrow

(Acapulco, AN 8 February) According to sources in City Hall, Añorve will take up his old post as mayor of Acapulco again, starting tomorrow morning. With him will return a number of associates who had also left public service for the city to work on Añorve’s unsuccessful run for the governorship.

Añorve’s return comes in spite of resistance from opposition legislators. They argue that the state legislature appointed José Luis Ávila Sánchez as mayor when Añorve resigned to make his bid for the statehouse. Therefore, only the legislature can undo that act and reinstate the elected mayor for the remainder of his term. PRI loyalists in the state legislature disagree, saying that Añorve “notified” the congress of his leave of absence, and now is “notifying” them of his return. There is no normative role for the legislature in this turn of events. Some legislators take an intermediate position, saying that Añorve is entitled to return as mayor, being the person elected to that position; however, he needs a green light or a nod from the legislature before doing so. The local PAN opposition has started a campaign to accumulate signatures for a recall of Añorve from the position.

Whether the law favors the PRI stance or the positions adopted by his opponents, Añorve is expected to take up the reins of city government tomorrow morning, and the current mayor, Ávila Sánchez, will return to his post as director of finance. He served as interim mayor for four months. There has been no official announcement of this move; just leaks from “informed sources inside the city administration.” However, Añorve has convened a press conference for tomorrow morning, all of which points to his return to the helm of the city government.