Holguin sworn in as Anthony's mayor amid controversy

ANTHONY – Gabriel Holguin was sworn in Friday evening as Anthony’s new mayor. The council room at the municipal complex was packed for the bilingual ceremony celebrating a new administration for the city south of Las Cruces.

Holguin could soon be a litigant against the city as well, having recently filed a tort claims notice alleging misconduct by Anthony police and malpractice by an attorney working on the city’s behalf, among other claims.

“This matter stems from actions under the prior administration that I believe misused municipal processes in a way that caused harm to members of the community, including myself,” he told the Journal. “This isn’t about politics or personal grievance. It’s about accountability.”

Yet the complaints mainly stem from disputes with the prior administration and his political rival. On Friday, Holguin spoke of turning the page. 

Holguin has drawn attention as one of the youngest elected officials in New Mexico history, elected to the city’s board of trustees at the age of 20 in 2021. On Nov. 4, he defeated incumbent Diana Murillo for the position of mayor at age 24, making him the youngest mayor to assume office since Javier Perea was appointed as Sunland Park’s mayor, also at 24, in 2012.

Holguin took his oath of office along with newly elected Trustee Genaro Soriano, who ousted incumbent Daniel Barreras in the Nov. 4 election. They were sworn in by state District Judge Robert Lara and Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Rosenda Chavez-Lara, and will take office on Jan. 1.

“It’s a change in Anthony, and those of us that live here know that it’s taken us four years to fight, to take back our community and to put the people first,” Holguin said in a brief address after he took the oath. “Working together with Mr. Soriano, with the board, we will do a lot of change. It may be slow change but I guarantee you that we’re always thinking about the community first.”

Holguin’s tort filing followed Murillo’s dramatic unveiling of the complaint while presiding at her final board meeting as mayor on Dec. 17. Murillo’s bid for a third term as mayor was defeated by Holguin, who won last month’s election by 238 votes, or 59% of the official vote count.

A tort claim can be a precursor to civil litigation but does not rule out the possibility of settling disputes and averting a lawsuit.

Holguin’s filing names Murillo and Anthony Police Chief Vanessa Ordoñez, who is leaving her position at the end of the month ahead of a run for Doña Ana County Sheriff, as well as the New Mexico Municipal League and the New Mexico Self-Insurers Fund, whom Holguin accuses of negligent supervision of attorney Benjamin Young, when Young was appointed to assist the city on certain matters.

Earlier this year, Young authored a letter requesting an investigation into grievances by city employees that named members of the city’s governing board, including Holguin. 

The letter also alleged that Holguin and Trustee Jesus Garcia had both sought to influence the police department over traffic tickets they had received. Holguin, for his part, alleges in his tort notice that police submitted a September traffic citation both to the county magistrate court and Anthony’s municipal court, resulting in conflicting court requirements, a bench warrant and harm to his reputation and driving record.

Holguin further alleges that Young’s letter was not authorized by the governing board, that it made false allegations and was publicized for political reasons.

Holguin submitted the notice in his personal capacity rather than in his official role at the city.

However, if legal action proceeds, he may preside over meetings in which the city’s trustees discuss and authorize legal action on matters in which Holguin is a plaintiff.

If it came to that, Holguin said he would recuse himself “from any city discussions, votes, or authorizations related to the matter.”

Algernon D'Ammassa is the Journal's southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.