Mexico Weekly / April 12, 2011
Norma Meraz, wife of former State of Mexico Gov. Arturo Montiel, writes in her new book, “Arturo Montiel from Atlacomulco,” of her husband's career and his presidential aspirations in late 2005. Meraz asserts that Montiel’s aspirations were effectively ended when Madrazo went on national television and accused Montiel of embezzling millions of pesos and corruption.
The claims damaged Montiel’s image and his hopes to be nominated as the PRI presidential candidate in 2006. The PRI president, Madrazo, eventually won the nomination but did poorly in the presidential election, and Montiel disappeared from public life.
In an interview published in Excélsior Tuesday, Meraz said her book responds to the efforts by Montiel’s opponents to sabotage his image and presidential aspirations.
Meraz spent hundreds of hours interviewing her husband for the book. In it, Montiel says he received death threats as the election approached. Masked men also broke into his parents’ home, though Montiel did not report this at the time.
In the book, Montiel says not reporting the threats and the break-in were among the biggest mistakes of his career.
Some politicians have interpreted the book as a possible return to politics for Montiel.
But Meraz said she hasn't given it too much thought. “He [Montiel] is a relevant politician, he keeps up on what’s going on in the country and is in contact with a lot of people. But for him to get back into politics … I would rather continue to enjoy spending time with my family.”
Meraz insists that the book's release was not originally planned for publication just a few months before the crucial gubernatorial elections in the State of Mexico, Excélsior reported.
— By Bronson Pettitt
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