More than 60 percent of the members of the Veracruz State Congress were absent from ordinary and extraordinary sessions during the legislative recess and the start of the second legislative year, without this affecting their salaries.
A review of the attendance and session reports of the Legislative Branch between December 31, 2025—when the legislative recess began—and May 7, 2026—as part of the new ordinary session of their second year as legislators—shows that 34 of the 50 representatives accumulated between one and seven excused absences from plenary sessions.
According to official records, the absences correspond to representatives from all parliamentary groups, including the coordinators Esteban Bautista (Morena), Marcelo Ruiz (PVEM), and Enrique Cambranis (PAN). Only in the case of Representatives Citlali Medellín, Héctor Yunes, and Bertha Ahued, who requested leave of absence, were their salaries docked for the temporary leave they requested for 15 days to a month.
The issue of justified absences gained prominence after the president of the Political Coordination Board of the local Congress, Esteban Bautista Hernández, announced that deductions would be applied to legislators who do not attend sessions and work meetings.
In statements made on Thursday, May 7, the representative indicated that some elected officials could have their per diem, salary, and subsidies reduced for not attending legislative activities, a practice he described as a “vice.”
“Starting today, deductions will be made from the salaries of any representatives who do not attend, regardless of who they are,” he declared.
Bautista Hernández explained that the reduction would affect items such as salary, bonuses, and financial support. Furthermore, he asserted that the legislators receive additional payments ranging from 35,000 to 70,000 pesos. However, the information available on the Veracruz Congress’s transparency portal only reports 58,000 pesos in per diem and bonus payments, as well as 40,000 pesos in financial support.
The additional amounts mentioned by the president of the Political Coordination Board (Jucopo) are not itemized on the official payroll of the local Congress, which has 665 employees, including the 50 legislators of the current legislature. The legislator pledged to later report which legislators will have their salaries reduced and what the daily amount of the penalties will be.
From December 15, 2025, when the Permanent Commission of the Congress of the State of Veracruz was established, until May 7, 2026, at least 34 of the 50 local deputies accumulated absences or justified absences from solemn, extraordinary, and ordinary sessions.
The Permanent Commission is the legislative body that operates during the recesses of the local Congress and is composed of 10 deputies. Among its powers is the authority to convene extraordinary sessions when matters require a vote by the full Congress or a qualified majority.
Since that date, the local deputies held two solemn sessions—the awarding of the Adolfo Ruiz Cortines Medal and the International Women’s Day Medal—in addition to six extraordinary sessions, in which all 50 legislators are convened.
The First Ordinary Session of the Second Year of the LXVII Legislature began on April 1st and will conclude on June 30th. A total of 15 solemn, ordinary, and extraordinary sessions were convened between December 2025 and May 2026.
A review of stenographic records and session minutes documented deputies reported as “not present” and legislators who notified the legislature that they were performing “duties inherent to their office,” a criterion used to justify absences without affecting their salary payments.
A review of the attendance records of the 50 deputies revealed that 20 of the 33 legislators from the Morena party had at least one absence, or an excused absence. The four representatives from the National Action Party (PAN) also accumulated absences, as did four of the six deputies from the Green Party of Mexico (PVEM).
The three members of the now-defunct Veracruz Nos Une caucus —before the resignation of Héctor Yunes Landa last Thursday, May 7— also registered justified absences, as did the two legislators from Movimiento Ciudadano.
More than 60 percent of the members of the Veracruz State Congress were absent from ordinary and extraordinary sessions during the legislative recess and the start of the second legislative year, without this affecting their salaries.
A review of the attendance and session reports of the Legislative Branch between December 31, 2025—when the legislative recess began—and May 7, 2026—as part of the new ordinary session of their second year as legislators—shows that 34 of the 50 representatives accumulated between one and seven excused absences from plenary sessions.
According to official records, the absences correspond to representatives from all parliamentary groups, including the coordinators Esteban Bautista (Morena), Marcelo Ruiz (PVEM), and Enrique Cambranis (PAN). Only in the case of Representatives Citlali Medellín, Héctor Yunes, and Bertha Ahued, who requested leave of absence, were their salaries docked for the temporary leave they requested for 15 days to a month.
The issue of justified absences gained prominence after the president of the Political Coordination Board of the local Congress, Esteban Bautista Hernández, announced that deductions would be applied to legislators who do not attend sessions and work meetings.
In statements made on Thursday, May 7, the representative indicated that some elected officials could have their per diem, salary, and subsidies reduced for not attending legislative activities, a practice he described as a “vice.”
“Starting today, deductions will be made from the salaries of any representatives who do not attend, regardless of who they are,” he declared.
Bautista Hernández explained that the reduction would affect items such as salary, bonuses, and financial support. Furthermore, he has asserted that the legislators receive additional payments ranging from 35,000 to 70,000 pesos. However, the information available on the Veracruz Congress’s transparency portal only reports 58,000 pesos in per diem and bonus payments, as well as 40,000 pesos in financial support.
The additional amounts mentioned by the president of the Political Coordination Board (Jucopo) are not itemized on the official payroll of the local Congress, which has 665 employees, including the 50 legislators of the current legislature. The legislator pledged to later report which legislators will have their salaries reduced and what the daily amount of the penalties will be.
From December 15, 2025, when the Permanent Commission of the Congress of the State of Veracruz was established, until May 7, 2026, at least 34 of the 50 local deputies accumulated absences or justified absences from solemn, extraordinary, and ordinary sessions.
The Permanent Commission is the legislative body that operates during the recesses of the local Congress and is composed of 10 deputies. Among its powers is the authority to convene extraordinary sessions when matters require a vote by the full Congress or a qualified majority.
Since that date, the local deputies held two solemn sessions—the awarding of the Adolfo Ruiz Cortines Medal and the International Women’s Day Medal—in addition to six extraordinary sessions, in which all 50 legislators are convened.
The First Ordinary Session of the Second Year of the LXVII Legislature began on April 1st and will conclude on June 30th. A total of 15 solemn, ordinary, and extraordinary sessions were agreed between December 2025 and May 2026.
A review of stenographic records and session minutes documented deputies reported as “not present” and legislators who notified the legislature that they were performing “duties inherent to their office,” a criterion used to justify absences without affecting their salary payments.
A review of the attendance records of the 50 deputies revealed that 20 of the 33 legislators from the Morena party had at least one absence, or an excused absence. The four representatives from the National Action Party (PAN) also accumulated absences, as did four of the six deputies from the Green Party of Mexico (PVEM).
The three members of the now-defunct Veracruz Nos Une caucus —before the resignation of Héctor Yunes Landa last Thursday, May 7— also registered justified absences, as did the two legislators from Movimiento Ciudadano.
How Much Does the Veracruz Congress Cost to Operate?
The Veracruz State Congress’s budget for fiscal year 2026 totals 843 million pesos. According to the financial report for the first quarter of the year, the Legislative Branch had committed 162 million pesos and paid 160 million.
Of the total budget, 560 million pesos were earmarked for personnel services. However, the Congress made a budget adjustment to increase the “other social and economic benefits” category by 1,314,000 pesos, funds that were cut from the salaries of temporary staff.
In addition, the state Congress earmarked 197 million pesos for subsidies and grants for the 50 local representatives. Of that amount, 48 million pesos had already been spent during the first quarter of the year.
Source: lasillarota
