State of Mexico detains ex‑education official in teacher‑post corruption scandal

State prosecutors in the State of Mexico announced the capture of ten former officials linked to a long‑running scheme that sold teaching positions. Among those arrested is Óscar Guzmán Aragón, who served as sub‑secretary of Administration under former governor Alfredo del Mazo. He was seized at his home in the Condado del Valle neighborhood of Metepec and transferred to the Santiaguito penitentiary in Almoloya de Juárez.

The investigation, sparked by teachers’ complaints in 2024, uncovered a network that allocated more than 300 ghost posts – salaries paid to individuals who never taught – draining the state education budget. The scheme persisted across successive administrations, with other detained officials including former administrative delegate Juan Alberto Pastrana López and Daniel Arturo Gómez López, who remained active in the current government’s basic education sub‑secretariat. Authorities say the operation began during del Mazo’s term and continued under the current governor, prompting a broader effort to dismantle the corruption network.

The arrests mark a significant step toward addressing systemic abuse in the state’s education system and restoring integrity to public service hiring practices.