Most Mexicans View Union Leader Elba Gordillo's Arrest Favorably, Says Poll The News
go to original March 1, 2013

MEXICO CITY – Most Mexicans – and most educators – approve of teachers’ union leader Elba Esther Gordillo’s arrest on embezzlement charges, according to pollster Strategic Communication Committee (GCE).

On Wednesday, the GCE carried out surveys on how the controversial union leader’s arrest was received by the public. It said that 83.6 percent of teachers surveyed viewed the arrest favorably.

Gordillo, who heads the 1.5-million-member National Education Workers Union (SNTE), was arrested on embezzlement charges on Tuesday. In a federal court appearance on Wednesday, she was charged with “transactions with money of illicit origin” and “organized crime,” and denied bail.

The GCE surveyed 1,000 people by telephone, reminding them that the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) has accused Gordillo of misuse of the union’s funds, a charge it says 55.6 percent of teachers strongly believed to be true.

About 24 percent believed the charges were somewhat true, 10.7 were unsure, and 1.9 percent said the charges were completely false.

Among non-educators, 59.1 percent were sure of her guilt, 20.8 percent were somewhat sure, 6.9 percent were unsure and 2.5 percent did not believe the charges.

More than 80 percent of the general public was in favor of the arrest; That figure rose to 83 percent among educators. According to the survey, 62.4 percent of general participants and 70.8 percent of teachers were aware of Gordillo’s arrest.

However, many Mexicans view the arrest with some cynicism. Sixty percent believe she will go free because of her political connections, while only 29 percent believe she will be found guilty. Among teachers, those figures are 69.5 percent and 24 percent, respectively.

The GCE survey also asked how people thought teachers and the union would respond. Almost 40 percent said they feared the arrest would provoke a negative reaction from educators, while 26 percent aren’t worried and 21 percent said there would be negotiations.

Respondents were also asked whether the arrest affected their opinion of President Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration. Among the general public, 52.8 percent said their opinion of the president had improved, as compared to 44.1 percent of teachers. Only 18.7 percent of both teachers and the general public said their opinion of the president had been negatively affected.

The GCE also asked if participants thought that, with the arrest of the union leader, education reform would go ahead. More than 53 percent of educators said yes, 39 percent no and 6 percent did not know. Among the general population, 61 percent said yes, 25 percent no and 10 percent did not know.

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