Snapshot breaks continuity in Alejandro’s office Alito Moreno Cárdenas (Campeche, 50 years old). It is dominated by photographs of all sizes of him as head of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, a position he held for six years. In front of his desk is a statue of Luis Donald Colosio Murietta, the PRI’s historic presidential candidate who was murdered during the 1994 Mexican presidential election campaign. The assassination was the first major blow ahead of the collapse of the political organization that had ruled Mexico tirelessly for 70 years. Today, the PRI has been reduced to a minimalist representation. In its role as an opposition party, the party occupies a demonstrable position on Mexico’s political map. Alito then proposes a portrait. “He is the real Luis Donald Colosio, and the other one (his son with the same name) is a fake,” he says.
PRI receives EL PAÍS at its national headquarters. The election period has been brought forward prematurely. With the token shift, institutional revolutionaries are in the midst of a divorce with PAN. The announcement doesn’t keep the well-known Alito Moreno up at night. He is skeptical that the separation will be completed. “In politics, the door is never closed,” he said of the Blue and White party’s break with the electoral coalition. The resistance of PANism in the US confirms this. “How are they going to fight in Chihuahua or Nuevo Leon?” he asked in his characteristic mocking tone.
He declined to confirm whether the PRI would go it alone in the midterm elections, which are the focus of the 2030 presidential election. The party leader claims to seek the formation of a large opposition coalition between the PAN, PRI and MC, but dedicates mass disqualifications to the latter. “People in the civil movement are cynical scabs who only do morena work,” he said. These are not the best times to be an institutional revolutionary. But Alito calls himself an optimist and maintains a triumphalist discourse, insisting that the PRI is immortal. Contrary to death predictions, the controversial leader predicts his party will return to office.
listen. Did the break with PAN push up the timing of the election?
answer. Now is the time for each party to formulate a strategy. The PRI was a political party whose mission was alliance. The Coalition is here to stay. We should ask National Action how it intends to compete in Chihuahua and Nuevo León, in the capitals we won as a coalition… That’s incongruous. not accepted Those who want to blame the PRI. Morena messed up PAN’s face. They are told every day that they are the Genaro García Luna people of the real estate cartel, that they are thieves and corrupt… It is ungrateful and dishonest. We cannot scare the national leader of a party that calls itself the opposition party to death. They twitch two or three times, point, and run away.
Q. Do you think that PAN’s decision to break with the PRI, at least in discourse, was due to pressure from the government by real estate cartels?
R. What does a first glance reveal? I told my colleagues at PAN to have character, determination and will if you have nothing to hide. We are also going to meet them by revoking the mandate. All that is missing is for PAN and MC members to vote on revoking the mandate. The PRI plans to vote against it.
Q. Did PAN betray PRI with its announcement?
R. We don’t break things that aren’t assembled. We are in a time, a process. You don’t just have to look at the context, the message, the words. Why do we always promote the Union’s mission? Because it increases our competitiveness. By acting separately, they will lose all positions they have. We don’t beg or ask anyone for anything. They will have to make the decision in their state. In politics, the door never closes.
Q. What would you say to PAN members who think it was a mistake to ally with the PRI, with negative consequences?
R. We have to ask them how they won the governor’s race. Must be serious.
Q. Did you hear from Jorge Romero about this announcement prior to the relaunch of PAN?
R. I have a lot of respect for Jorge Romero in terms of organization. He will have to take responsibility. He will have to explain to his extremists how he can win gubernatorial and mayoral races on his own.
Q. What awaits PRI when it goes solo in 2027?
R. Grow as a party. It will not be an easy challenge, but we will face it and do well. We’re going to participate and compete in 17 states. If we go separately in Queretaro, Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Sinaloa and Sonora, we will hit everything (on PAN). PRI always strives to build coalitions. The phone will be destined for Mexico. Add PRI members, PAN members, and emethysts. Let’s travel around the country together. If there is no agreement on the day of registration, the United States will participate alone, but there are many voices within the United States. They are not doing us any favors and neither are we.
Q. And will he quit his triumphant speech?
R. We are an opposition party, there are no victory speeches. In the electoral process, we go to vote.
Q. Do you see success within government?
R. none. The only success they can build is by calling for dialogue and seeking agreement for our country.
Q. Has the PRI ever considered forming an alliance with other political parties? What is a citizen movement?
R. Movimiento Ciudadano is a satellite city of Morena. We must form a large opposition bloc with social organizations to defeat the ruling party. The scenario for obtaining good election results is to form a large coalition government. We can grow as a party on our own, but it will be more difficult to have a platform for political participation. Together we can have at least 90 districts, which would prevent Morena from getting a qualified majority.
Q. What did PRI do wrong?
R. I have always said that I have to take responsibility as a leader. However, it is wrong to say that I lost the governorship because of me. In 2012, it received 38% of the national vote. In the 2018 presidential election, he won 14 to 15 points. Lost 15 points or more. I came to PRI in 2019. It went from 15 points to 18 points in the 2021 midterm elections. In 2024, we lost 6 points. I’m not saying it’s the best, but we’ve fought the battle. The governorship was lost to corrupt and shameless governors from the PRI.
Q. Did the US extradite Morena?
R. They handed over and betrayed PRI fighters. And now they serve as ambassadors for Morena, the dumping ground of national politics. PRI members are rats, corrupt, scared, hypocritical and in morena. It is paying the bill for betrayal and impunity. People are disappointed because they don’t have medicine and they don’t have access to health care. Roads were destroyed and countryside abandoned.
Q. Is Morena the worst thing about PRI?
R. No, because they are no longer in PRI.
Q. But they were members of the PRI…
R. Now they are in Morena.
Q. The source of his wealth has been questioned, and it is said that his income is not commensurate with that of a public servant. How did you grow so much?
R. My assets are public, legal and lawful. I have clean hands. Those are urban legends.
Q. What do you think is due to the fact that their removal process was frozen?
R. That’s not my topic. They have no evidence or elements and cannot be believed. they don’t have a mother.
Q. Is there a non-aggression pact between you and Morena?
R. There is no agreement. You can face them because you have nothing to hide. Construction companies and businesses don’t have it. The government searched me down to the soles of my feet. I like to travel and learn…that’s my job. If I meet someone and say something to them, I’ll send them to hell. You can do whatever you want with the money you earn. And when they say “Alito has security,” of course I have enough security, because they want to kill me. I have an armored truck, but it doesn’t matter to me.
Q. Have you ever received a death threat?
R. they are permanent. They called my cell phone and told me not to testify.
Q. Will I be asked not to declare it? To whom?
R. Against governments, against organized crime.
R. Will Alejandro Moreno ever be forced out of the country on some charges?
R. They’ve been following me for seven years. I leave the country many times, but I keep coming back.
Q. How do you react to those, including PRI members, who predict that 2030 will be the final nail in PRI’s coffin?
R. I’ve been listening to it for 30 years. It may not sound very humble, but PRI is immortal. The number of closes is about 12%. We will win again, no doubt.
Q. Do you think they will return to power?
R. Mexico already needs us to be part of the government. The first step is in 2027. We are immortal because we build institutions. The tricolor is solid. The colors are also well set. We have to improve many things and definitely recognize the mistakes that have been made. They can say a lot of things, but here we are.
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