Senator Enrique Inzunza Cázares separated from the Morena parliamentary group on Aug. 26 [1] to serve as an independent member of the Senate.
The move comes as the senator faces allegations from the U.S. regarding purported links to the Los Chapitos cartel. By distancing himself from the ruling party, Inzunza aims to prevent these accusations from damaging the political standing of the Fourth Transformation (4T) movement.
Inzunza said his decision was based on personal conviction and a desire to protect the party. "No daré elementos para cuestionar a la 4T," he said [1], or "I will not provide elements to question the 4T."
Despite the separation from the party caucus, Inzunza will not request a leave of absence. He intends to remain in the Senate and maintain his legal immunity, known as fuero [2]. He has not appeared in the Senate since April 28 [3].
The senator has denied the U.S. allegations, describing them as part of a targeted effort to ruin his reputation. "Soy víctima de una campaña de calumnias," he said [4], or "I am a victim of a campaign of slanders."
Inzunza met with Ignacio Mier in Mexico City to coordinate the transition to his new status as an independent senator [3]. He said the decision responds to a personal conviction [5].
The separation allows Inzunza to keep his seat without the official backing of Morena, effectively shifting the responsibility for his legal situation from the party to himself as an individual legislator.
“"No daré elementos para cuestionar a la 4T."”
This separation is a strategic move to insulate the Morena party from the political fallout of U.S. drug trafficking allegations. By becoming an independent, Inzunza removes himself from the party's official roster while retaining the legal protections of his office, ensuring that any future legal proceedings do not directly implicate the party leadership or the broader 4T agenda.
