Maximino Avila Camacho and the One-Party State by Quintana Alejandro;

Author:Quintana, Alejandro;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lexington Books
Published: 2010-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 4

A BASKET WITH SOME ROTTEN APPLES (1937-1941)

On February 1, 1937, General Maximino Ávila Camacho became Governor of the state of Puebla. When he took office the state was in disarray. He inherited a bankrupt government from his predecessor General José Mijares Palencia. Apart from an economic deficit of 250,000 pesos1 ($1.5 million2) cronyism and corruption had not abated. This led Mijares Palencia to destroy his administration’s documents before he left office.3 In addition, the state had been roiled by fierce labor clashes particularly in the industrialized textile regions surrounding the city of Puebla. In an effort ostensibly to distance himself from the incompetence and corruption of previous administrations, Maximino declared that his administration would be effective, disciplined, and financially solid.4 At the end of his tenure Maximino characterized his tenure as a role model for peace and development. He left a surplus in the treasury and claimed that the government was no longer corrupt and was staffed with hard-working bureaucrats.5

To be sure Maximino had more to show as an effective Governor than his predecessor, but his success was enhanced by his manipulation of public opinion. Among his accomplishments between 1937 and 1941, he founded the University of Puebla, rescued the fire-damaged Teatro Principal (built in 1761)—one of the oldest theaters on the continent—and renovated the long-abandoned “Palafoxiana” library (established in 1646), donated by the bishop of Puebla and viceroy of New Spain Juan de Palafox y Mendoza (1600-1659).6 Maximino also claimed to have cleaned up the state finances. In 1938 he reported a surplus of 4.5 million pesos ($28.5 million) and in 1941 a surplus of 7 million pesos ($44.5 million). Maximino also asserted that he had invested 2.5 million pesos ($16 million) in the creation of 197 schools and 500,000 pesos ($3 million), which combined with federal monies paid for the construction of eleven paved roads across the state. In addition, as Governor Maximino dedicated 200,000 pesos ($1.3 million) to water works, especially in the city of Tehuacán, and 272,000 pesos ($1.5 million) for paving streets, primarily in the city of Puebla.7

However, corruption and cronyism flourished. During his tenure, Maximino’s personal wealth increased substantially and he allegedly had millions of pesos in his bank account.8 If Maximino’s government was as clean as he claimed, one cannot help but wonder how it was possible for him to accumulate millions of pesos on a yearly salary of 16,425 pesos ($104,000)? Clear-cut proof of corruption, however, has been difficult to establish for two main reasons: first, the only data made available to the public were provided by the state government and, second, due to the tradition of destroying state documents at the end of each administration, it became virtually impossible to verify Maximino’s claims or his opponents’ counterclaims indicating that his economic achievements benefited mostly his cronies.

Maximino’s government does not appear to have deviated substantially from traditional patterns of authoritarianism, corruption, and cronyism found in previous administrations. What is striking is how much this expected practice became a central element of his policies.

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