No references to a municipal president (mayor) of Queretaro named Jesus Hernandez could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, sources indicate that Jesus Rodriguez Hernandez was municipal president for the Revolutionary Institutional Party (PRI) from 1994 until 1997 (Tribuna Universitaria 18 Jan. 2000; Enciclopedia de los Municipios 1999). He was succeeded by Francisco Garrido Patron of the National Action Party (PAN), who served from 1 October 1997 to 1 October 2000 (ibid.; PRI 15 July 2001). In his last year as mayor of Queretaro, Jesus Rodriguez Hernandez ran for a seat in the Federal Chamber of Deputies for the PRI (El Nacional 5 Apr. 1997; El Economista 10 Mar. 1997), and more recently was engaged in a public "war of words" (guerra de declaraciones y calificativos) with his PAN successor over a scandal involving a controversial three-story parking lot at the Constitution Square of Queretaro (Tribuna Universitaria 18 Jan. 2000).

According to one report, Jesus Rodriguez Hernandez controlled during his administration a "fighting force" (grupo de choque) known as los Palomos, described as a "pseudo-paramilitary group" (pseudo estructura paramilitar) formed by seven brothers named Palomo who had been active organizing taxi drivers (La Jornada 22 Feb. 1998). Once the mayor lost power, the group reportedly began operating on its own (ibid.).

Other sources refer to organized crime groups headed by men named Jesus Hernandez, including one led by a Jesus Hernandez Diaz (Excelsior 30 Nov. 1996), and a violent car theft ring that operated in Queretaro and other cities, led by Jesus Hernandez Hernandez and his brother Arturo (La Jornada 30 Aug. 1998). However, none of these references referred to direct links between these organized crime groups and a former mayor of Queretaro.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

El Economista [Mexico City]. 10 March 1997. Adrian Trejo. "Engrane." http://www.unam.mx/el_economista/1997/mar97/10mar97/engrane.html [Accessed 7 Sept. 2001]

El Nacional [Mexico City]. 5 April 1997. "La Lista: Define el Revolucionario Institucional sus candidatos a diputados federales." http://www.unam.mx/serv_hem/nacional/1997/abr97/05abr97/05pa06.html [Accessed 7 Sept. 2001]

Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México [Mexico City]. 1999. "Querétaro." http://200.38.180.51/enciclo/queretaro/mpios/22014a.htm [Accessed 7 Sept. 2001]

Excelsior [Mexico City]. 30 November 1996. Alfredo Jimenez. "Bandas de Robacoches no Pasan Mucho en la Cárcel." http://www.excelsior.com.mx/9611/961130/nac23.html [Accessed 7Sept. 2001]

La Jornada [Mexico City]. 30 August 1998. Humberto Ortiz Moreno. "Puebla, Querétaro y Guadalajara, en la ruta del robo de autos en el DF." http://www.jornada.unam.mx/1998/ago98/980830/puebla.html [Accessed 7 Sept. 2001]

_____. 22 February1998. Jaime Avilés. "Querétaro: Los enigmas del 5 de Febrero." http://www.jornada.unam.mx/1998/feb98/980222/mas-enigmas.html [Accessed 7 Sept. 2001]

Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), Mexico City. 15 July 2001. "Versión estenográfica de la conferencia de prensa ofrecida el día de hoy por el lic. Pablo Meré Alcocer, sindico municipal de Querétaro; el lic. Francisco Hernández Velasco, presidente del Comité Directivo Municipal del PRI en Querétaro, y regidor, y lic. Francisco Javier Hernández Velásquez, regidor, realizada en la sala de prensa del PRI." http://www.pri.org.mx/05.informacion/textos_doc/documentos/c_dmafhvfjh1507121.html [Accessed 7 Sept. 2001]

Tribuna Universitaria [Queretaro]. 18 January 2000. No. 80. Maria Gonzalez Hernandez. "El estacionamiento de la Plaza Constitución es 'un trinquete de la administración anterior': Garrido Patrón." http://www.uaq.mx/fcps/tribuna/80/p80n12.html [Accessed 7 Sept. 2001]