The embattled director of state’s oldest and largest Hispanic organization has been replaced by a 24-year-old Tucson man until the organization holds elections next month.

On April 16, Javier Herrera was appointed interim state director of the Arizona League of United Latin American Citizens.

LULAC national president Hector Flores temporarily filled the role left empty when the national executive board voted to suspend director Sam Esquivel.

Dave Rodriguez, national vice president for the organization’s far west region, said the board suspended Mr. Esquivel for violating a number of the group’s bylaws.

“I would characterize it as dereliction of duty,” Mr. Rodriguez said.

Mr. Esquivel was elected state director in May 2003 and re-elected in May 2004. Mr. Rodriguez said Mr. Esquivel has clashed with other members and denounced them in the press. That led to his suspension in January. A month later, the board reinstated him. Mr. Rodriguez said last week’s unanimous vote reinstating the suspension was prompted by concerns about Mr. Esquivel’s leadership.

Mr. Esquivel has said he was first suspended after he unsuccessfully tried to get full access and a full audit of secret bank accounts controlled by state members of the organization. Mr. Esquivel pushed for control of the money after he discovered that there were six accounts linked to the Arizona chapter.

Mr. Esquivel and other local activists in LULAC have also sought state and federal investigations to force a full accounting of the six bank accounts that were set up by his predecessors, although it’s unclear if any agency is looking into the matter.

Mr. Hererra said infighting over the past 18 months has hurt his efforts to get younger members involved.

“From the perspective of the young adults, it has hurt membership,” he said. “They didn’t want to be associated with the organization,” because of the controversy, he said.

Mr. Herrera graduated from the University of Arizona in December and has served as LULAC’s state treasurer and state vice president for young adults. —

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