Joel Molina Ramírez facts for kids

Joel Molina Ramírez (born November 1, 1942 – died October 24, 2020) was an important Mexican politician. He served as a senator for the state of Tlaxcala. He was a member of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) political party.

Molina Ramírez was a senator in the LXIV Legislature of the Mexican Congress. He held this position from February 2019 until he passed away in October 2020. He died from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. He was just seven days away from his 78th birthday.

About Joel Molina Ramírez

Early Life and Education

Joel Molina Ramírez was born on November 1, 1942. His hometown was Ixtacuixtla, in the state of Tlaxcala. He studied at the Evening Normal School and became a teacher.

Career in Public Service

In the late 1970s, Molina Ramírez was a leader in the teachers' union, the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación. He first worked as the chief of finances, then became a local leader.

He was a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party for many years. In 1980, he was elected to the Congress of Tlaxcala. He served there for three years. From 1986 to 1988, he was the mayor (municipal president) of Ixtacuixtla.

Molina Ramírez also held several jobs in the state government. He was the president of the Tlaxcala Electoral Institute from 1994 to 1996. In 1997, he became the secretary of education for the state of Tlaxcala. This was during the time when José Antonio Álvarez Lima was in charge.

Joining MORENA

After many years with the PRI party, Joel Molina Ramírez joined a new political party. He became one of the first members of MORENA. In 2016, he helped with Martha Palafox Gutiérrez's campaign for governor. By 2020, he was the temporary leader of the MORENA party in Tlaxcala.

Becoming a Senator

In 2018, Joel Molina Ramírez was chosen as the alternate senator for Álvarez Lima. An "alternate senator" is like a backup. If the main senator cannot serve, the alternate takes their place.

Álvarez Lima was quickly given a new job by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. He was asked to lead a public TV station called Canal Once. Because of this, Joel Molina Ramírez became the senator. He officially started his role on February 28, 2019.

Molina Ramírez was also considered as a possible candidate for governor of Tlaxcala in 2021. This was even though he was older and had undergone surgeries.

His Final Days

In October 2020, Joel Molina Ramírez became sick with COVID-19. He was taken to a hospital in Tlaxcala. He passed away on October 24, 2020. He was the first senator in Mexico to die from the disease.

Before he died, he had been in the Senate chamber on October 20. This was for a long 12-hour meeting. Senators were voting on important government issues. After his death, Álvarez Lima announced he would leave his TV station job. He planned to return to the Senate in November to take Molina Ramírez's place.

See also

In Spanish: Joel Molina Ramírez para niños