Background and Key Players
The Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE), one of Mexico’s most prestigious academic institutions, faces a pivotal moment in its recent history. Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez, head of the Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación, formally notified José Antonio Romero Tellaeche of his replacement by Lucero Ibarra Rojas as interim director through an official letter (A100/014/2026). This decision, based on Article 94 of the Ley General en Materia de Humanidades, Ciencias, Tecnologías e Innovación, grants Ibarra Rojas full authority to lead the center until a new permanent director is appointed.
Romero Tellaeche’s Resistance
Instead of accepting his removal, Romero Tellaeche contested the decision, asserting that it lacked a legal basis and only the governing body could remove him under established legal grounds. He emphasized that decisions based on political agreements or unsupported expressions of will are invalid regarding his appointment. Romero Tellaeche maintained that, until the specified conditions in the law are met, the director retains all responsibilities.
Controversies Surrounding Romero Tellaeche’s Tenure
Romero Tellaeche’s departure is not an isolated incident but the culmination of a tumultuous period since his appointment in 2021. His leadership was marked by controversies that divided the student and academic communities, with the most severe being a plagiarism accusation in June 2022 by Dr. Catherine Andrews.
- Romero Tellaeche was found to have plagiarized texts from Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen, despite a committee’s determination of wrongdoing. Instead of facing sanctions, he initiated legal action that escalated to a civil court.
- He filed a lawsuit for moral damage against Andrews personally, which hundreds of academics deemed an act of harassment and intimidation.
- The lawsuit targeted not only Andrews but also media outlets like El Universal. The pressure led the Secretaría de Ciencia to announce that Romero Tellaeche would drop the lawsuit to prioritize institutional stability, an agreement that now seems broken due to his resistance to leaving the position.
SIPACIDE’s Support for New Leadership
Unlike Romero Tellaeche’s rejection, the CIDE Academic Staff Union (SIPACIDE) firmly backed the new leadership. In a statement by its General Secretary, José Roldán Xopa, the union recognized Lucero Ibarra as the institution’s new leader and expressed readiness to collaborate in strengthening CIDE.
Who is Lucero Ibarra Rojas?
Lucero Ibarra Rojas’s appointment signifies a shift towards an internationally recognized academic profile with a social focus. As the director of CIDE’s Division of Legal Studies until recently, Ibarra is a permanent researcher with a strong background. She holds a Doctorate in Law and Society from the University of Milan and a Master’s degree in Legal Sociology from the Instituto de Oñati, Spain.
- With a decade of experience at CIDE, Ibarra has been involved in designing the Comité de Ética en la Investigación (2019-2025) and promoting gender and intercultural perspectives.
- She co-founded Emancipaciones, a collective supporting indigenous autonomy processes in Michoacán.
- Ibarra is the only woman on the editorial board of Qualitative Research and has held positions in the International Sociological Association.
Her leadership aims to rebuild CIDE, which critics claim lost its way during Romero Tellaeche’s tenure. While he clings to the letter of the institution’s statutes to disregard his removal, academic and federal authorities seem to have moved on, opting for an interim leadership that restores calm at CIDE.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is CIDE? The Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE) is one of Mexico’s most prestigious academic institutions.
- Who is José Antonio Romero Tellaeche? Romero Tellaeche was the director of CIDE until his removal amid controversy and legal challenges.
- Who is Lucero Ibarra Rojas? Lucero Ibarra Rojas is an internationally recognized academic with a strong background in law and social sciences, appointed as the interim director of CIDE.
- What controversies surrounded Romero Tellaeche’s tenure? His leadership was marked by plagiarism accusations, legal action against critics, and pressure to step down.
- What is SIPACIDE’s stance? The CIDE Academic Staff Union supports Lucero Ibarra Rojas’s appointment and is willing to collaborate in strengthening CIDE.
