# Nepotism allegations and reform efforts in Puebla

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/nepotism-allegations-and-reform-efforts-in-puebla
> Updated: 2026-09-22T20:31:10.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

In Puebla, Mexico, political leaders have raised allegations of systemic nepotism within municipalities governed by the Morena party and its allies. Mario Riestra, the state leader of the PAN, identified numerous municipalities—including Tepeojuma de Rodríguez, Xicotepec, and Amozoc—where relatives of mayors reportedly hold substitute positions or roles within local councils. Riestra characterized these instances as a recurring practice rather than isolated errors.

In response, Deputy Julio Miguel Huerta Gómez of the Morena party has proposed legislative reforms to the state constitution and the Code of Institutions and Electoral Processes. The initiative seeks to prohibit political parties from including immediate family members, such as parents, children, or spouses, within the same electoral formula—specifically as principal and substitute pairings for municipal presidencies, councilors, or syndics. Huerta stated the measure aims to prevent public power from being treated as “family patrimony.”

The proposal follows reported instances of nepotism in municipalities such as Tianguismanalco and Acatlán de Osorio. While the reform would allow relatives to participate in politics independently, it would bar them from sharing specific candidate-substitute roles. Critics of the current landscape argue that such legislative changes might be unnecessary if party leaders acted with integrity, alleging that the imposition of family members as substitutes is driven by corruption and the use of illicit funds to secure political control.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-22: Puebla deputy proposes law to curb municipal nepotism

Puebla deputy Julio Huerta Gómez has proposed a law to ban nepotism in municipal governments by preventing direct relatives from serving as principal and substitute candidates in the same electoral formulas.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/puebla-deputy-proposes-law-to-curb-municipal-nepotism

### 2026-09-09: PAN leader alleges nepotism in Puebla municipalities

PAN leader Mario Riestra alleges a widespread pattern of nepotism in several Puebla municipalities governed by Morena and its allies.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pan-leader-alleges-nepotism-in-puebla-municipalities

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Cite as: Nepotism allegations and reform efforts in Puebla. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/nepotism-allegations-and-reform-efforts-in-puebla