Eugenio Javier Hernández Flores (born October 17, 1959) is a Mexican politician affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was the mayor of Ciudad Victoria from 2001 to 2004 and governor of Tamaulipas from 2004 to 2010, and was also a federal deputy from 2000 to 2001 and coordinator of the Financial Committee of Tomás Yarrington during his campaign. On May 27, 2015, he was indicted on charges of money laundering alongside his brother-in-law Óscar Gómez Guerra by the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ).

Political career

He joined the Institutional Revolutionary Party in 1997. In 1999, during the presidential campaign of Francisco Labastida Ochoa, Hernández Flores was appointed as state campaign coordinator in Tamaulipas. The same year he was elected as general secretary of the Directive Committee of the PRI party.

In that year he requested a leave of absence from Congress to stand in Ciudad Victoria's mayoral election, which he won. He took the mayor's post in 2001.

Tamaulipas Governor

In PRI's internal election he was appointed as candidate of that party to participate in the Tamaulipas Governor election to be run on June 26, 2004.

He began his government on February 5, 2005. In May of that year, he introduced his Plan of Development of the State for the period 2005–2010, which was the guide for the public policy throughout his period of government, his government was based in three strategic lines: (i) Social Prosperity; (ii) Competitivity and Productivity; and (iii) Strong institutions and Government of results.

thumb|Eugenio Hernández Flores in a meeting with US president [[Barack Obama and the president of Mexico Felipe Calderón in 2009.]]

His government was relevant for the constant fight against organized crime. He promoted an alliance with the rest of Mexican border states, the municipalities and federal government to avoid the traffic of arms and people between the United States and Mexico. As the results of this agreement, it was allowed to the Mexican army to settle down in Tamaulipas with thousands of troops to manage the fight against drug dealers and look after custom services in Tamaulipas. He expressed his agreement to make a public ballot question to put on people's consideration the possibility to impose the capital punishment as penalty for kidnapping and to stop the violence from crime. At the final stage of his government, Hernández Flores said that 42% of police members have been dismissed as they were untrustworthy.

With respect to relations with the US states bordering Tamaulipas, Hernández Flores was a principal critic of the immigration laws applied in Texas. He was against the barrier raised between the countries during his term in office.

In economic matters, he promoted internal oil investments in Tamaulipas and the creation of jobs coming from that industry. Thus, when Petróleos Mexicanos announced that another refinery was going to be built in Mexico, Hernández Flores proposed that it be sited at Tamaulipas. It was ultimately decided that the refinery be built in the state of Hidalgo.

During his term as governor, Fitch Ratings recognized excellent financial management in Tamaulipas. Nevertheless, after his government he was accused of generating excessive indebtedness.

Indictment

On May 27, 2015, Hernández Flores was indicted on charges of money laundering alongside his brother-in-law Óscar Gómez Guerra by the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ), making him a fugitive wanted by the United States. A Mexican judge decided that Mexico should not extradite Hernández Florez for his U.S. criminal charges. However, the federal Judiciary Council states that he has more serious charges in Mexico, and should be tried there instead; it's also possible that Hernández Florez could be tried in both countries in part of a "temporary extradition agreement" between the U.S. and Mexico. His candidacy was upheld by the Federal Electoral Tribunal on May 15, 2024, despite his ongoing extradition proceedings,

but he failed to win the seat.

See also

  • List of fugitives from justice who disappeared

Notes

  • Government of Tamaulipas: Eugenio Hernández

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