Scandal-Ridden Sunland Faces Several Options Before Moving On

Sunland Park mayor-elect Daniel Salinas will not be sworn in prior to Thursday’s 5 p.m. deadline.

The New Mexico Supreme Court has declined to make any special provisions. But the city does have several options and everything appears to hinge on a Sunland Park City Council meeting on Tuesday.

The council is expected to decide whether to vacate the position and appoint a new mayor, leave it alone and keep the old mayor, Martin Resendiz, or possibly call for another election.

“We want to work with the most transparency possible,” Sunland Park Mayor Pro Tem Isabel Santos said on Wednesday, pointing out the city hopes to head in a new direction following the past couple of months of scandal after scandal and arrest after arrest. “It’s a big responsibility because at this time we are in a critical time and we need to do the most good things possible to benefit the community.”

Santos said she thinks the council will take the first option, vacating the mayor’s position. Salinas, who is facing extortion and bribery charges, cannot be sworn in. So she expects the council to name runner-up Gerardo Hernandez, the man Salinas allegedly extorted, the new mayor.

“Of course I’m trying to go in appointed by them as the mayor because everybody knows that we won the election,” said Hernandez, who told ABC-7 Wednesday that his attorney filed a challenge in Dona Ana County on Tuesday to the election results, and he thinks one way or another he will be the new mayor. “I know it’s a lot of work for me, but I’m willing to do it. I’m ready to start working. I know there’s no shortcuts, but hard work. We can do a very good thing with this city.”

After speaking with Hernandez, ABC-7 spoke with people out in Sunland Park about the situation. Many of them said they’d like to see the city start with a clean slate.

“For me they should clean everything,” said Sunland Park resident Jesus Hernandez.

“I hope they go in a new direction,” added Sunland’s Robert Alderete. “This is a good place, only they went in the wrong director there for a while.”

Hernandez believes he has the four votes to become the new mayor. Santos told ABC-7 that calling for a new election is unlikely since the New Mexico Municipal League is not recommending that option. ABC-7 tried reaching the New Mexico secretary of state Wednesday to clarify the situation, but have yet to hear back from her.