LULAC National Legal Advisor Ruled That Wisconsin State LULAC Director Eileen Figueroa de Lopez Must Hold A New State Convention

Escobar Jr., the LULAC National Legal Advisor agreed with complainant Jaime Alvarado, President of LULAC Council 346 that Eileen Figueroa de Lopez, the Wisconsin State Director erred and held an illegal convention during the week and should have given appropriate written notice to members of councils to have "maximum participation", which has been customary to do so in the organization.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

May 23, 2018

Milwaukee, WI - On Monday, Manuel G. Escobar Jr., the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) National Legal Advisor ruled that Eileen Figueroa, the Wisconsin State LULAC Director held an illegal weekday State Convention on Thursday, May 17th and should hold another one with appropriate notice to all state LULAC Councils to maximize participation and all transactions during the May 17th Convention were null and void. Escobar wrote in his findings, that the leadership in LULAC should become familiar with the LULAC Constitution, Bylaws and Protocol to provide guidance to members and that "The LULAC Constitution is clear. A LULAC state convention is to be held on a "weekend." Under the circumstances, the LULAC Wisconsin State Convention must be conducted again on a new date, and any and all actions taken by the delegation seated at the Convention on May 17, 2018 are of no force or effect."

Concerning a 30-day convention notice, Escobar says that the LULAC Constitution provides for a 30-day notice for National Board of Directors and State Executive Committee meetings, which has also become a practice by State LULAC organizations to give a 30-day notice "to provide sufficient notice to encourage participation by LULAC members and officers at all levels."

Escobar also ruled that Jaime Alvarado, the President of LULAC Council 346 who was barred from being nominated to run as State LULAC Director on May 17th by Darryl Morin, the State LULAC Secretary including Figueroa de Lopez and others at the convention erred as well and that Alvarado "met all the qualifications to run for State Director," if Alvarado desires to do so when nominated.

On Saturday, Alvarado, released a filed complaint with Joe Henry, LULAC National VP for the Midwest and Manuel Escobar, LULAC National Legal Advisor with the National LULAC Board claiming multiple irregularities that led to holding an illegal LULAC State Convention in Wisconsin on May 17th at the UMOS Coporate Headquarters on S. Chase Ave. in Milwaukee in less than 30-days and not giving appropriate notice Wisconsin LULAC Councils.

Alvarado also claimed in a 3-page filed complaint with Henry and Escobar, that his candidacy for State Director in Wisconsin was rejected and blamed the "iron fist" tactics used by Yolanda Santos-Adams; the Wisconsin State LULAC Director Eileen Figueroa de Lopez and Darryl Morin, candidate for National LULAC President and current State LULAC Secretary.

Morin, in a candidate for LULAC National President letterhead released a press release Sunday, the day Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) broke the story concerning a LULAC State Convention held illegally in Wisconsin. Morin in his press release conceded that a new State Convention in Wisconsin should be held due to the lack of proper notice to State LULAC Councils. Morin wrote, "I agree given that the lack of 30 day written notice a new convention should be held." Apparently, Patricia Kraker, the Deputy State Director for Women and the LULAC Women's Council #330 had advised Morin and Figueroa de Lopez two weeks prior to the State Convention that it was an illegal act to hold the convention that soon without proper notice and during the week, but despite Kraker's and the Women's Council objections, Morin and Figueroa de Lopez decided to hold the convention, which is now null and void, according to Escobar.

Figueroa de Lopez on April challenged three chartered LULAC Councils, which Alvarado and Patricia Kraker helped organized to be registered. According to Alvarado, Figueroa de Lopez gave no evidence in her challenge that the charters were not credible and the National Board eventually decided to approve the three LULAC Council charters that were challenged by Figueroa de Lopez.

Alvarado claimed that a $20 fee was charged for all members attending the State Convention last week Thursday, which it is also illegal to hold a convention on a weekday, according to the LULAC Constitution and Bylaws and that the fees were geared for council members to attend the 89th LULAC National Convention in Arizona in July and those new council members with less than one year in existence would be required to pay the $20 fee, but would be excluded from using and sharing the same funds to attend the national convention.
Morin nor Figueroa de Lopez have not released any information, if the new LULAC Councils will also benefit from the convention fees to be used to attend the annual LULAC National Convention in Arizona.