Following the tragedy in Pesquería and the investigation launched by the municipality with the FGR (Attorney General's Office), Movimiento Ciudadano party is not entirely satisfied with Mayor Francisco Esquivel, whose strategy to strengthen the brand in the peripheral area has so far fallen flat. According to sources, the current candidate under consideration is the municipal secretary, Óscar González. Party insiders suggest that he is even independently conducting territorial work and promotion through various unions operating in the peripheral municipality, separate from his father. The emergence of several alternatives is pressuring MC to act during a difficult time for Esquivel's administration: he is accused of possible negligence in the explosion that left three dead, the theft of municipal items from the scene, the intervention of the FGR, and even the constant rumors about the loss of his U.S. visa. Furthermore, officials at the Palace of Cantera (the state government seat) understand that the gubernatorial campaign will drain crucial votes, potentially strengthening the opposition in that industrial sector with the presence of Adrián de la Garza. On the other hand, MC leader Baltazar Martínez seeks to prevent the return of the PAN (National Action Party) with Miguel Lozano and his son Patricio Lozano, both former mayors. In the last election, they won by just over 1,000 votes, even after cutting resources and services to the Lozano Ramos administration from the executive branch and with heavy blows during the campaign. Currently, in internal polling positioning Esquivel and the young former mayor, the distance between the two profiles is minimal, with the PAN candidate even holding an advantage. This does not completely fracture their relationship with the current mayor but represents a key candidate change. Another option on the political chessboard is Esquivel's own son, Juan Esquivel.
