PAN battles its skeletons

Germán Martínez just can't get rid of Manuel Espino.

Espino, Martínez's predecessor as PAN president, said he'll run for a seat in the Chamber. He told reporters he hasn't yet discussed his plans with Martínez, but he intends to because "if it turns out that the party bigwigs are against me, it doesn't make much sense to try."

Espino made the announcement at the new home office of the Democratic Christians of America Organization. Late last year, he was thrown out of the old offices by PAN Sen. Gustavo Madero in a controversial move many saw as a thinly veiled effort to humiliate and marginalize Espino. (Madero was promoted to top PAN senator at the expense of Santiago Creel, an Espino favorite.)

But as Martínez has made a mess of the PAN's national organization, it has become necessary to ameliorate the tensions that have arisen between the Calderón-Martínez wing of the party and the players that were forced out after Martínez took over just over a year ago. As a result, Espino is back with the National Executive Council, declaring just over a month ago that he wanted to take "a permanent and more active role" in party activities in order to help "end the losing streak in elections."

Martínez has been criticized for the PAN's dismal performance in 2008, especially for his seeming lack of interest in some states where the conservative party was trounced. He recently declared that the PAN would sweep the six gubernatorial elections scheduled this year, but most observers saw that as nothing more than false bravado.

It's worth keeping an eye on the power struggle in the PAN. At the very least, it's an entertaining alternative to the PRD soap opera.