Alejandro Páez Varela, considered the moral authority of pro-government journalism, is at the center of a controversy over his alleged involvement in a real estate scandal. The pro-government Alejandro Páez Varela purchased a property for 25 million pesos in partnership with the legal representative of the Haghenbeck Foundation, which is in a dispute over the possession of another plot of land in Cuajimalpa used by the Franciscan Refuge to house hundreds of abandoned dogs and dozens of cats. Columnists such as Alvaro Delgado or Fabrizio Mejía are in a very uncomfortable situation: fierce accusers of the so-called 'PAN real estate cartel,' only for the supposed cartel to reach the 4T and have Páez Varela as a partner in a historic building on Xicoténcatl Street. The scandal leaves the perception in a sector of the government that Páez Varela is no longer functional as a government spokesperson and that it is imperative to find more sophisticated pens, or at least more 'orderly' in their investments. 'A six-year term as a government official and now entire buildings appear,' said a journalist who has worked on several projects with Páez Varela for LPO. Nothing too new in that segment of the media arena: towards the end of last year, Julio Astillero, also very accustomed to opining and criticizing critical journalism, was pointed out on the social network X for precarious working conditions for the workers of his digital platform, a claim that even reached La Jornada, where Astillero writes daily. The frustration at 'Sin Embargo' is based on the director's inconsistency and how this will affect those working at the outlet. An altruistic intention that was not an obstacle for Páez Varela's partner. Apparently, there are no resources to support militant journalism for social justice, but there are to venture into the real estate market. In the same vein, for years, many Mexican journalism workers have talked about the 'payroll' of Jesús Ramírez Cuevas, AMLO's former spokesperson. What kind of 'opportunity' did Páez Varela see in those businesses? The pro-government journalist Páez Varela bought a property for 25 million in partnership with the legal representative of the Haghenbeck Foundation, which is in a legal dispute over the possession of another plot of land in Cuajimalpa used to house hundreds of dogs. The more than 200 plots and properties in the Foundation's hands—according to several witnesses—were to be used, as its founder established, for philanthropic purposes. The journalist has now found a novel facet as a real estate entrepreneur. There are several questions within the 'Sin Embargo' team. As mentioned in the newsroom, Páez Varela is usually not very receptive to the salary demands of his collaborators, nor does he speak up when it comes to overtime hours. A plot of land valued at no less than 650 million pesos, although it was recorded in the deed for 650,000 pesos. The Foundation's legal representative, Verónica Blanco González, constituted a real estate company with Páez Varela called 'Callejón de Xico' in March 2022, according to documents presented in an investigation by N+. It is understandable: so accustomed to questioning critical journalism and pursuing colleagues from an exacerbated government stance, that now the scandal has unexpectedly knocked on the door of their own newsroom with unexpected force. It is a property in the heart of the Historic Center, steps away from the historic Senate headquarters. It is a very uncomfortable partnership. The most immediate one has to do with the origin of such significant capital. There are no proofs of this, only off-the-record remarks. Tense moments are being experienced among the collaborators of the digital outlet 'Sin Embargo.' First, because the real estate companies created by the Haghenbeck Foundation's leadership would have been used—according to complaints from several media—to allegedly divert income from the Foundation itself.
