Key facts
- Mexico's new UK ambassador, Alejandro Gertz Manero, disclosed significant personal wealth.
- His assets include 10 houses, seven cars (two Rolls-Royces), and over $1 million in jewelry.
- Gertz Manero also reported properties in the US and Spain, and bank accounts in Mexico, the US, Spain, and Switzerland.
- He stated that many of his assets were inherited.
- His wealth contrasts with the Morena party's historical motto, 'For the good of all, first the poor,' and its association with austerity.
Mexico's new ambassador to the United Kingdom, Alejandro Gertz Manero, has recently disclosed a substantial personal fortune, including 10 houses, seven cars, and over $1 million worth of jewelry. This opulent display of wealth stands in stark contrast to the governing Morena party's historical political platform, which champions austerity and prioritizes 'the poor.'
Gertz Manero, who was appointed to the post by President Claudia Sheinbaum last year, reported assets such as two Rolls-Royces, an art collection valued at nearly half a million dollars, and properties in the United States and Spain. He also noted bank accounts in Mexico, the US, Spain, and Switzerland, attributing much of his wealth to inheritance.
Public policy expert Viri Ríos highlighted the contradiction between Morena's narrative of austerity and the reality of its members' varying levels of wealth. She pointed out that former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a close ally of Gertz Manero, was known for his modest lifestyle and advocacy for "Franciscan austerity."
The party has been repeatedly embroiled in scandals involving its members' perceived extravagant tastes. Recent incidents include López Obrador's son, Andrés Manuel López Beltrán, facing criticism for a luxury hotel stay in Tokyo, and Senator Adán Augusto López Hernández coming under scrutiny for substantial private income. Morena itself issued new guidelines last year discouraging "displays of material ostentation."
Ríos suggested that public outrage is fueled not just by politicians being rich, but by their opulent lifestyles appearing to exceed their official salaries, a perception that could prove costly for the party in future elections.