Elba Esther Gordillo

Elba Esther Gordillo Morales is a Mexican politician affiliated to the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) and leader of the National Union of Education Workers (Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación or SNTE).

She was decisive in Roberto Madrazo's triumph in the elections for the national presidency of the PRI held in 2000 after losing power for the first time in its history, bringing with her the backing of the powerful teachers' union. One of the most powerful women in Mexican politics, her influence has declined after losing a political war with Madrazo and being forced out of the leadership of the PRI group in Congress, presumably because her political ambitions clashed with those of Madrazo regarding the presidential elections of 2006.

She managed to retain her place in Congress and being head of the SNTE at the same time, but has been subject to political pressure from inside her party and her union, factions trying to eject her from both organizations. She was rejected as leader of the PRI group in Congress; pressure against her was so high she retired from public life for a year although she retained her post as PRI's Secretary but in name only. In early 2005 she returned (apparently she was also sick) and Madrazo greeted her with open arms, in an amazing comeback from what seemed the end of her political career.