New Director of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs is Minister’s Brother

Aside from the lack of consultation, Coc says that the association is also concerned about the familial relations that Gustava and Minister Oscar Requena share. They are brothers. Spokesperson Cristina Coc says that this might lead to a conflict of interest. 

 

Cristina Coc, Spokesperson, MLA/TAA

“Secondary concern is that, you know, in in the spirit of good governance principles and in the spirit of good faith consultations with indigenous peoples we remind the government that it would be their duty and obligation to really consult in good faith when decisions like these are made.  And then a third, not to diminish this concern at all but it’s certainly a secondary concern is that he is known as the younger brother of the area representative, Mr. Oscar Requena.  And, of course, Mr. Requena is one of the appointed committee members. We have reached out to the minister. We have asked him if he has anything to say about this appointment. In fact, he has told us blatantly that he doesn’t know about it, that all he knows is that his brother applied for the position.”

 

Hipolito Novelo

“Do you know whether or not that position was advertised?”

 

Cristina Coc

“I don’t know what the process was, Hipolito. Like I said, the appellants were never informed. In fact, we learned of this appointment through a government press release. I mean, that does not bode well for building trust and good faith relations with the indigenous peoples of Toledo.”