Ariadna Montiel, the former Secretary of Welfare, was sworn in this Sunday as the new president of Morena's National Executive Committee during the party's VIII Extraordinary National Congress. The event, held at the World Trade Center, also officially appointed Óscar del Cueto García as the political organization's Secretary of Finance, according to El Financiero.
The leadership transition took place amid a climate of political tension following the departure of Luisa María Alcalde from the national leadership. Alcalde, who will join the Legal Counsel of the Presidency under Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, highlighted the party's membership growth, noting that membership surged from 2.5 to 12.5 million in just eighteen months, per El Universal.
Between Unity and Accountability
During her inauguration speech, Montiel warned of what she described as an offensive against the movement. "There is a permanent offensive against our movement today; from this Congress, I call upon the people of Mexico to remain firm and united around this national project," the new leader declared, according to El Financiero.
The new president also established strict criteria for future candidacies ahead of the 2027 elections. Montiel stated that integrity will be an indispensable requirement, asserting that the track record of any aspirant must be "impeccable" to secure a nomination, even if they emerge victorious in internal polls, as reported by El Universal.
Distancing from Rubén Rocha Moya
The congress was marked by a notable silence regarding the acting Governor of Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha Moya, who is facing allegations from the U.S. government regarding alleged ties to drug trafficking. El Universal reported that, unlike other internal crises, Morena leaders avoided mentioning Rocha Moya by name and showed no signs of solidarity toward him.
Several Morena lawmakers expressed their intention to leave the governor's future in the hands of the Attorney General's Office (FGR). Congresswoman Dolores Padierna stated that following Rocha Moya's request for a leave of absence, the politician must remain "at the mercy of what the authorities say, as they must do their jobs," according to El Universal.
For his part, Senator Gerardo Fernández Noroña expressed confidence in the governor's innocence but warned that, should a guilty verdict be reached, "there will be no impunity in this or any other case." In contrast, Senator Manuel Huerta Ladrón de Guevara told the press that he did not know the official.
As the session closed, the atmosphere at the gathering was described as strained. Although delegates from Sinaloa attempted to organize a chant in support of Rocha Moya, the gesture failed to gain traction among the attendees, according to El Universal. The day concluded with a call from outgoing leader Luisa María Alcalde for unity in the face of external pressures, urging members to close ranks in defense of the "transformation" project.
