Guanajuato Governor Questions Delays in Political Violence Case

Guanajuato Governor Libia Dennise García Muñoz Ledo has voiced strong criticism over the lengthy delays by electoral bodies in addressing cases of political violence based on gender. She highlighted her own experience, stating it is "incredible" how long it has taken to resolve an incident where a priest, Alfredo Gallegos Lara, known as "El Padre Pistolas," insulted her and made threats.

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It is incredible the time they have taken to resolve this.

Nine months after the incident, which occurred during a mass where the priest expressed disagreement with the Solís-León Aqueduct project, the case remains unresolved. During the mass, "El Padre Pistolas" reportedly said, "that damn governor wants to starve us. I already said it, if she insists we will rise up... I'm going to kick her ass, hers, because she is responsible for starving us all."

García Muñoz Ledo, who is also a member of the National Action Party (PAN), expressed deep concern about the delays. As governor and as a woman, she filed the complaint, convinced that acts of violence against women cannot go unpunished or unaddressed by authorities. She plans to engage with the State Electoral Institute and the State Electoral Tribunal to find ways to expedite these processes.

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I already said it, if she insists we will rise up... I'm going to kick her ass, hers, because she is responsible for starving us all.

With an electoral process for renewing all 46 local mayoralties and the state congress on the horizon, the governor emphasized the urgency of refining the mechanisms for handling gender-based political violence. She believes women should not have to wait so long for justice when they are subjected to such violations.

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I think they have to refine their mechanisms because a woman cannot wait so long for justice when she is violated in that sense.