Jaime Bonilla Valdez

Last updated

Jaime Bonilla Valdez
Jaime Bonilla Valdez.jpg
Senator of the Congress of the Union for
Baja California
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 August 2022
Political party Labor Party (2012–2015, 2023–present)
Other political
affiliations		 MORENA (2015–2023)
Republican (2000–2012)
Education National Autonomous University of Mexico (BBA)
OccupationPolitician, Entrepreneur
Website http://jaimebonilla.com/

Jaime Bonilla Valdez (born 9 June 1950) is a Mexican politician and entrepreneur who served as the Governor of Baja California from 2019 to 2021. A member of the National Regeneration Movement party, he has been a Federal Congressman and a Senator of the Republic.

Contents

Life

Bonilla was born in Tijuana, Baja California, [1] and obtained his degree in business administration from the UNAM in 1983. He worked in a variety of companies, including Electrol de México, CONESA, and COVIMEX de México. [2] Between 1982 and 1985, he directed the Potros de Tijuana baseball club, which played in the Liga Mexicana del Pacífico. [3] In 1984, he became the director general and a columnist of the Diario de Baja California newspaper, which began a career in media ownership for Bonilla. Through his company PSN (originally an acronym for Pacific Spanish Network, now Primer Sistema de Noticias), he directly operates XESS-AM 620 and XESDD-AM 1030 in Tijuana. He also owned XHENB-TV channel 29 in Ensenada, now a cable-only outlet, and his company Media Sports de México holds the concessions for two radio stations operated under brokerage agreements by American programmers, XEPE-AM 1700 and XHPRS-FM 105.7. Bonilla also acquired cable systems in Ensenada and Tecate. Bonilla also owned radio station KURS 1040 in San Diego through his company Quetzal Bilingual Communications; the station was sold in 2016 for $900,000. [4]

In 2000, Bonilla, then a dual citizen of Mexico and the United States, joined the board of the Otay Water District in Otay Mesa, California. While in the US, he lived in Chula Vista, California, and was a donor to Republican causes and even was on the California finance committee for John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign. [5] In March 2012, he announced his resignation from the water board in order to run for federal deputy and simultaneously join the 2012 presidential campaign of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. [6] At the same time, he renounced his dual citizenship, [3] a move necessary to meet the constitutional requirements to run for office. [7] He became a proportional representation deputy on the PT list, during which time he served as the president of the Northern Border Matters Commission and was the state campaign coordinator for the PT in the 2013 Baja California state elections. [2] Bonilla left the post in 2014 in order to become the state party director for the then-new Morena party. [3] His relationship with López Obrador remained close; in 2016, Bonilla invited him to his Petco Park suite for the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. [3] Party members and leaders say that in Bonilla's media holdings, López Obrador saw a "gold mine" to gain media exposure in Baja California. [3]

On 31 January 2018, López Obrador announced that Bonilla would be the primary Senate candidate in Baja California for the Juntos Haremos Historia coalition, forming a ticket with Alejandra León Gastélum. [8] The Juntos Haremos Historia ticket took first place in the election, securing both candidates seats in the Senate. However, Bonilla has stated that he will only remain in office three months and will then become the state development coordinator in Baja California. [9]

Governor of Baja California (2019–2021)

Bonilla won the 2019 gubernatorial election and assumed office on 15 November 2019. The election law had been changed in 2014, mandating another election in 2021 in order to coincide with a Constitutional mandate that gubernatorial elections must coincide with federal elections. Insisting that this meant his term would end in 2024, Morena pushed for a referendum and a legal change. The referendum passed with 82% of the vote but only 1.9% citizen turnout; the so-called Ley Bonilla (Bonilla Law) was passed by the legislature after a thirty-minute debate. On 11 May 2020, the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) ruled unanimously against the law, meaning Bonilla's term would run from 1 November 2019, to 31 October 2021. [10]

Bonilla was governor during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. As of 13 May 2020, there were 2,524 confirmed cases, 433 (23.9%) of which had ended in death. [11] Two of the dead were two-month old babies. [12] Tijuana was one of the most seriously affected cities in the country, with 1,216 reported cases on 10 May and 274 deaths. Mexicali had 942 cases and 96 deaths; Ensenada had 118 cases and 14 deaths (including one in San Quintin); Tecate reported 118 cases and 15 deaths; Rosarito Beach Municipality had 36 cases and 3 deaths. [12] The first infection was reported on 17 March and 10 April had the highest report for a single day. [13] Bonilla ordered non-essential businesses to close on 31 March and starting 7 April the state had a stay-at-home order, enforced through police checkpoints. Rent payments were suspended during April and May, and border crossings to and from the United States were limited. [13] Despite stay-at-home orders, many factories continued to function, some after being closed by the state. Bonilla said they prefieren sacrificar a sus trabajadores antes que sus utilidades ("prefer to sacrifice their employees than their profits"). [14] Among the companies cited were Clover (cell-phone repairs), Amphenol (fiber optics), Safran (commercial aircraft interiors), ABC Aluminium Solutions, TE Connectivity (electronics), and Turbotech. [14]

In 2022 he was accused by the new governor, Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, of corruption and embezzlement.[ citation needed ]

Bonilla is seeking election as one of Baja California's senators in the 2024 Senate election, occupying the first place on the Labour Party's two-name formula. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrés Manuel López Obrador</span> President of Mexico since 2018

Andrés Manuel López Obrador, also known by his initials AMLO, is a Mexican politician who has served as the 65th and current president of Mexico since 2018. He previously served as Head of Government of Mexico City from 2000 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuauhtémoc Blanco</span> Mexican footballer and politician (born 1973)


Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo is a Mexican politician and former professional footballer who is the current Governor of Morelos under the coalition Juntos Haremos Historia. He formerly served as the municipal president of Cuernavaca, Morelos. As a footballer, Blanco was known for his attacking ability and played most of his career as a deep-lying forward and his last years as an attacking midfielder. Blanco is considered to be one of the greatest Mexican footballers of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Labor Party (Mexico)</span> Mexican political party

The Labor Party is a political party in Mexico. It was founded on 8 December 1990. The party is currently led by Alberto Anaya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lilly Téllez</span> Mexican journalist and senator

María Lilly del Carmen Téllez García, professionally known as Lilly Téllez, is a Mexican politician and journalist. She has served as a senator from Sonora since 2018, initially representing Morena before joining the National Action Party in 2020. She previously worked as a journalist for television broadcaster TV Azteca.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of Baja California</span> Chief executive of the Mexican state of Baja California

The governor of Baja California represents the executive branch of the government of the state of Baja California, Mexico, per the state's constitution. The official title is "Free and Sovereign State of Baja California", and the position is democratically elected for a period of 6 years, and is not re-electable. From 1953 to 2019, the governor's term began November 1 of the year of the election and finishes October 31, six years later. To coincide with the federal elections, the law was changed, decreeing there would be an election in 2019, another in 2021, and yet another in 2024 before reverting to a six-year term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Mexican general election</span>

General elections were held in Mexico on 1 July 2018. Voters elected a new President of Mexico to serve a six-year term, 128 members of the Senate for a period of six years and 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies for a period of three years. It was one of the largest election days in Mexican history, with most of the nation's states holding state and local elections on the same day, including nine governorships, with over 3,400 positions subject to elections at all levels of government. It was the most violent campaign Mexico has experienced in recent history, with 130 political figures killed since September 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miguel Barbosa Huerta</span> Mexican politician (1959–2022)

Luis Miguel Gerónimo Barbosa Huerta was a Mexican politician affiliated with Morena who served as Governor of Puebla from 2019 until his death in 2022. He was a senator of the LXII and LXIII Legislatures of the Mexican Congress and also served as a federal deputy between 2000 and 2003. He was a candidate for the governorship of Puebla for the coalition Juntos Haremos Historia—formed by Morena, the Labor Party (PT) and the Social Encounter Party (PES)—for the state elections of 2018 and the 2019 special election.

The National Regeneration Movement, commonly referred to by its syllabic abbreviation Morena, is a major left-wing populist political party in Mexico. As of 2023, it is the largest political party in Mexico by number of members; it has been the ruling party since 2018, and won a second term in the 2024 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío</span> Governor of Baja California Sur

Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío is a Mexican politician currently affiliated with the National Regeneration Movement. He is the governor of Baja California Sur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social Encounter Party</span> Mexican political party

Social Encounter Party was a Mexican conservative political party established on the national level in 2014 and dissolved in 2018. It was part of the coalition Juntos Haremos Historia with the National Regeneration Movement and Mexico's Labor Party for the 2018 Mexican election.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Baja California since 3 November 2017 when the Secretary General of Government, Francisco Rueda Gómez, instructed the state's civil registry to immediately begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and cease enforcement of the state's same-sex marriage ban. This was in line with jurisprudence established by the Mexican Supreme Court, which has ruled that same-sex marriage bans violate Articles 1 and 4 of the Constitution of Mexico. Previously, Baja California had banned same-sex marriage both by statute and in its state constitution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juntos Haremos Historia</span> 2018 Mexican general electoral coalition

Juntos Haremos Historia was a Mexican political coalition encompassing the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), Labor Party (PT), and Social Encounter Party (PES), the latter of which was consequently absorbed into the National Regeneration Movement, to compete in the 2018 general election. Its current leader, as well as their presidential candidate, is Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who won the election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claudia Sheinbaum</span> President-elect of Mexico (born 1962)

Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is a Mexican politician, scientist, and academic who is the president-elect of Mexico, the first woman to be elected to the position. She is a member of the left-wing National Regeneration Movement (Morena).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Mexican legislative election</span>

Legislative elections were held in Mexico on 6 June 2021. Voters elected 500 deputies to sit in the Chamber of Deputies for the 65th Congress. These elections took place concurrently with the country's state elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delfina Gómez Álvarez</span> Mexican politician (born 1962)

Delfina Gómez Álvarez is a Mexican politician affiliated with the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) who has served as the Governor of the State of Mexico since 2023. She previously served as the head of the Secretariat of Public Education appointed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. She served as a senator from the State of Mexico in the LXIV Legislature of the Mexican Congress. She also has served as a federal deputy and mayor.

This article lists events occurring in Mexico during 2020. 2020 is the "Year of Leona Vicario, Benemérita (Praiseworthy) Mother of the Fatherland". The article also lists the most important political leaders during the year at both federal and state levels and will include a brief year-end summary of major social and economic issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico</span>

The COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 in Mexican politics and government</span> Overview of the events of 2021 in Mexico

Events pertaining to 2021 in Mexican politics and government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rubén Rocha Moya</span> Governor of Sinaloa

Rubén Rocha Moya is a Mexican politician and educator who has served as the Governor of Sinaloa since 2021. A member of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), Rocha previously served in the Senate of Mexico from 2018 to 2021.

Arturo González Cruz was a Mexican politician and businessman, recognized for his term as Municipal President of the XXIII City Council of Tijuana between 2019 and 2020. During his career, he held other positions such as professor at the CETYS School of Business and Administration, director of the Tijuana Chamber of Commerce, and national president of the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism.

References

  1. ↑ Arista, Lidia (18 July 2019). "¿Quién es Jaime Bonilla Valdez?". El Economista. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Perfil del legislador". Legislative Information System. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Rueda, Rivelino (29 December 2016). "Jaime Bonilla sedujo a AMLO, pero dividió a Morena en BC". El Financiero (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  4. ↑ "Deal Digest - November 23, 2016". Inside Radio. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  5. ↑ González, Jorge (19 September 2012). "Republicano que financió a McCain ya es diputado del PT". La Razón (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  6. ↑ Dibble, Sandra (27 March 2012). "Otay's Bonilla resigns for high-profile posts in Mexico". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  7. ↑ Baños, Marco Antonio (3 June 2018). "Doble nacionalidad". El Economista (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  8. ↑ Osuna Murillo, Conrado (31 January 2018). "Va Jaime Bonilla por la candidatura al Senado". Blanco y Negro (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  9. ↑ Sánchez, Glenn (13 July 2018). "Jaime Bonilla solo será Senador por BC durante tres meses". La Crónica (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "¿Qué es la Ley Bonilla y por qué es inconstitucional?". Business Insider México | Noticias pensadas para ti (in Spanish). 12 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  11. ↑ "COVID-19 - Gobierno del Estado de BC". bajacalifornia.gob.mx. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  12. 1 2 "Dos bebés entre los 402 fallecidos por Covid-19 en Baja California". jornada.com.mx/ultimas/estados/2020/05/10/dos-bebes-entre-los-fallecidos-por-covid-19-en-baja-california-5431.html.
  13. 1 2 "Esto es lo que sucedió de marzo a abril en Tijuana durante la pandemia del COVID-19". Telemundo San Diego (20) (in Spanish). 30 April 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  14. 1 2 "En BC, ni las muertes por Covid-19 frenan labores en maquiladoras - Estados - La Jornada". jornada.com.mx (in Spanish). 27 April 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  15. ↑ "Elecciones 2024: Candidatas y candidatos". Instituto Nacional Electoral. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
Senate of the Republic (Mexico)
Preceded by Senator for Baja California
2018		Succeeded by
Gerardo Novelo Osuna
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Baja California
2019–2021		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.