Hugo Eric Flores Cervantes

Hugo Eric Flores Cervantes is a Mexican politician, attorney, and Neo-Pentecostal pastor. He founded the Social Encounter Party (PES), a conservative political party. He was the party's national president and one of its eight federal deputies in the 63rd session of Congress. He currently is president of the party's successor, the Solidarity Encounter Party.

Hugo Eric Flores Cervantes
President of the Social Encounter Party
Assumed office
9 July 2014
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
In office
1 September 2015 – 2 March 2017
Personal details
Born
Hugo Eric Flores Cervantes
Political partySolidarity Encounter Party (2018-)
Other political
affiliations
Social Encounter Party (2006–2018)
EducationNational Autonomous University of Mexico
Harvard University

Early life and education

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Flores obtained a law degree from National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 1992 and two degrees from Harvard University: a master's degree in public, economic and gubernatorial law in 1996, as well as a J.D. in 2001.[1] In addition to becoming a partner at the law firm of Durán, Flores and Soria, he was the pastor of Casa sobre la Roca (House on the Rock), a Neo-Pentecostal church that supported Felipe Calderón in the 2006 presidential elections.[2]

Social Encounter Party

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In 2006, Social Encounter was founded as a national political group, which unlike a party, is not federally funded; it also organized as a party in Baja California. That same year, after Calderón's election, he obtained a civil service position in the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT). After six months in the post, he was accused by the secretariat's internal oversight agency for disobeying orders from the secretary and altering a document, prompting his removal and barring him from a public service position until 2020.[3]

Additionally, for the 60th and 61st sessions of Congress, Flores was an unused alternate senator for the National Action Party (PAN); he had previously been an alternate federal deputy for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).[1][3]

In 2014, concurrent with Social Encounter's transition to a national political party, Flores was named President of the National Directive Committee of the party, its highest position.[1]

Federal deputy

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The PES placed Flores Cervantes at the top of its list of candidates for proportional representation seats in the Chamber of Deputies from the fourth electoral region (which includes Mexico City), guaranteeing him a seat in the Chamber for the 63rd Congress (2015–2018). He sat on the Social Development, Finances and Public Credit, and Constitutional Points Commissions, as well as the Committee for the Center for the Study of Public Finances.[1] Additionally, he has been designated a PES representative in various capacities, including before the National Electoral Institute[4] and as one of the fourteen designees of the Chamber of Deputies to the Constituent Assembly of Mexico City.[citation needed]

In June 2020 Flores Cervantes denied allegations of links to organized crime.[5]

In September 2023, he filed paperwork with the National Electoral Institute enabling him to collect signatures for a possible run as an independent candidate for President of Mexico in the 2024 general election.[6][7] His bid was unsuccessful.[8]

In the 2024 general election he was re-elected to the Chamber of Deputies as a plurinominal deputy for the National Regeneration Movement (Morena).[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Perfil: Dip. Hugo Eric Flores Cervantes, LXIII Legislatura". Sistema de Información Legislativa (SIL). SEGOB. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  2. ^ Águilar, Rubén (2014-09-09). "Partido Encuentro Social (PES)". Animal Político. Retrieved 2016-08-21.
  3. ^ a b Mejía, José Gerardo (2014-11-03). "Oscuro pasado del líder de Encuentro Social". El Universal. Retrieved 2016-08-21.
  4. ^ "241 - Designa Partido Encuentro Social al diputado Hugo Eric Flores Cervantes como consejero propietario del Poder Legislativo ante el INE / 24 / Septiembre / 2015 / Agencia de Noticias / Comunicación / Inicio - Camara de Diputados".
  5. ^ Redacción, La. "Presentaré denuncia por manta: Hugo Eric Flores". La Unión (in European Spanish). Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  6. ^ "Tarjeta informativa: Recibe INE manifestación de intención de 27 aspirantes a candidaturas independientes para la Presidencia de la República". Instituto Nacional Electoral. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  7. ^ "De Eduardo Verástegui a Hugo Flores: ellos son los independientes que buscan la Presidencia en 2024". El Financiero. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  8. ^ "No habrá candidaturas independientes para la Presidencia de la República porque no tuvieron el apoyo requerido: Dania Ravel con Mario Maldonado". Instituto Nacional Electoral. 9 January 2024. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Acuerdo del Consejo General del Instituto Nacional Electoral por el que se asignan a los partidos las diputaciones que les corresponden para el periodo 2024–2027" (PDF). INE. 23 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.