### Senator of Morena Places Presidential Sash on AMLO Before Independence Day Cry
Before the 214th anniversary celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day, Rosario Alejandro Esquer Verdugo, a senator from the Morena party and former personal secretary to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), placed the Presidential Sash on AMLO in the National Palace. The event was recorded and shared via social media at 6:33 AM on September 16, 2024.
In the video, Esquer Verdugo is seen fitting the presidential sash on López Obrador, who was closely accompanied by military personnel. The former federal official oversaw the event’s logistics, including the sound system and stage setup, which AMLO later used to give 25 proclamations, including one about the self-proclaimed “fourth transformation.”
The four-minute and 49-second video also captured López Obrador embracing President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo after the traditional “Grito de Independencia.” Sheinbaum was present in a nearby balcony of the National Palace with her husband, Jesús María Tarriba Unger. Also present were the elected Chief of Government for Mexico City, Clara Marina Brugada Molina, the current capital’s head, Martí Batres Guadarrama, and the heads of the National Defense Ministry (SEDENA) and the Navy Ministry (SEMAR).
López Obrador acknowledged his eventual successor from the palace’s central balcony, as Sheinbaum returned the gesture.
“During the last Independence Cry of this term, we acknowledged the participation of all Mexicans who made the Fourth Transformation possible,” wrote López Obrador on his social media post.
### Secondary Article: Allegations from 2018 Surface Against Alejandro Esquer Verdugo
Rosario Alejandro Esquer Verdugo, known for his longstanding relationship with President López Obrador, faces accusations related to contracting “ghost” companies during the 2018 federal election campaign. The accusations were brought to light by an anti-corruption organization and were detailed in a report published on November 9, 2020.
According to those reports, Esquer Verdugo, during his tenure as Finance Secretary of Morena, hired Ligieri de México S.A. de C.V. for logistics services and ENEC Estrategia de Negocios y Comercio S.A. de C.V. to place campaign advertisements. Both companies were later listed by the current federal government as entities engaging in simulated operations, commonly known as “ghost companies.”
Detailed findings from the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT) were published in the government’s official journal, naming these firms as involved in tax evasion tactics. Despite initially appearing as suppliers in the National Electoral Institute’s (INE) records, these companies were not found in a subsequent 2018 monitoring report of campaign expenditures.
Esquer Verdugo’s story with López Obrador dates back decades, with the senator having served in various public office roles. In addition to his political career, family connections exposed him to further scrutiny, such as when his daughter assumed a significant role in Pemex Procurement International without prior experience.
The senator continued to hold influential positions in Morena, including an appointment as a candidate for the Senate under the proportional representation system, amidst ongoing questions over past practices and associations.
Stay tuned for ongoing updates and detailed political analyses on TJGringo.
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