More Allegations Emerge From Former Employees Against San Elizario Mayor Miguel Chacón

More former employees of the City of San Elizario are coming forward with allegations regarding the conduct of Mayor Miguel Chacón, adding to a growing body of claims that have fueled instability, division, and dysfunction within city government over the last two mayoral administrations.

Mayor Chacón is already historically notable as the only elected official in San Elizario - and possibly in all of El Paso County - to have been formally censured by his own legislative body in at least the last half-century. That censure was not symbolic; it reflected serious concerns about conduct, governance, and adherence to ethical standards.

Former employees now describe a workplace environment marked by fear, intimidation, inappropriate behavior, and alleged abuses of authority.

A Climate of Fear Inside City Hall

Multiple former staff members describe a culture in which current employees are “terrified” of being perceived as disloyal to the mayor. Because of this, and out of concern for retaliation, this blog intentionally avoids direct engagement with current city employees.

Former staff consistently characterized Mayor Chacón as an “HR nightmare,” stating that fear - not collaboration - defined internal operations. As a matter of leadership principle, if employees are afraid of their elected executive, that alone signals a fundamental failure of governance.

Allegations of Inappropriate Personal and Sexual Conduct

Several former employees allege that Mayor Chacón routinely engaged in sexually explicit conversations in front of staff, often describing personal sexual encounters in graphic detail.

One former employee described an incident in which the mayor allegedly discussed a recent trip to Las Vegas, during which he claimed to be in an “open relationship” and described a sexual encounter with another man. According to multiple witnesses, the mayor allegedly showed city employees a video of the individual partially nude in a hotel shower, stopping playback only as the towel began to fall.

Former staff also allege that the mayor frequently made sexualized comments about colleagues, including remarks about a former auditor’s appearance after he left the room and repeated comments about members of the Marshal’s Office, specifically focusing on their uniforms and anatomy in a manner witnesses described as explicit and degrading.

By any professional standard, such behavior - if accurately reported - would constitute violations of workplace sexual harassment policies. Former employees stated that this conduct became so normalized that it was viewed as “just how he communicates.”

Allegations of Drug Use

Former employees also allege that Mayor Chacón was open about recreational drug use, including arriving at City Hall smelling of marijuana and openly discussing being under the influence.

More seriously, multiple former staffers claim the mayor bragged about cocaine use and even recommended it to others. These allegations, if substantiated, would raise serious legal, ethical, and liability concerns for the city.

“Eyes and Ears” and Questionable Hiring Practices

Former employees allege that a former administrative assistant - later terminated for fabricating proposals - was hired without a public posting or interview and served as the mayor’s “eyes and ears” inside City Hall, tasked with reporting on coworkers perceived as insufficiently loyal.

According to sources, the mayor later took actions that jeopardized the city’s legal position by allegedly assisting the former employee in pursuing litigation against the city itself. The mayor was later censured in connection with conduct related to this matter.

Use of Open Records Requests for Political Purposes

Multiple former employees allege that Mayor Chacón directed political supporters to file specific public information requests designed to advance his personal political interests, distract from controversy, or damage rivals. The volume of these requests, staff say, resulted in significant costs borne by San Elizario taxpayers.

There are also allegations that legal expenses have ballooned because the mayor frequently directs legal counsel to act unilaterally, without council authorization, incurring substantial hourly fees.

Financial Oversight and Operational Control

Mayor Chacón has reportedly assumed day-to-day operational control of the city - despite that not being the role of the mayor - at times acting as de facto city administrator. Former employees say this consolidation of power coincided with serious financial instability, including a period when the city nearly failed to make payroll.

During a payroll vendor transition, one employee was accidentally double-paid. Former staff allege the mayor attempted to frame the error as misconduct by others rather than a systems failure under his watch.

Troubling Allegations Involving Financial Controls

Perhaps the most serious allegations involve financial oversight and the city’s former accountant. Multiple sources allege the mayor insisted invoices be routed through him rather than standard accounting controls, leading to disputes over irregular invoices - such as grant-writing services billed through music production companies.

Former employees allege the mayor resisted financial safeguards, including establishing a line of credit, and described city operations as “a game.” One source stated they were directed to issue a payment they believed was “unethical”.

Multiple sources also allege the mayor routinely blamed departed employees for ongoing issues, using the phrase “échale la culpa al muerto.”

Questionable Staffing Decisions

The recent promotion of Dolores Lopez from Code Enforcement Officer to Interim City Administrator has raised concerns among former employees. Sources say Mayor Chacón previously disparaged Lopez’s competence and that the promotion may be an effort to position her as a scapegoat for future failures.

A Pattern, Not Isolated Incidents

Individually, each allegation is troubling. Taken together, they describe a pattern of conduct that - if substantiated - would be incompatible with ethical public service.

The City of San Elizario remains deeply divided, and the steady stream of allegations raises an unavoidable question: how many warnings does a community need before accountability becomes unavoidable?

These allegations deserve independent investigation, transparency, and oversight - not silence, fear, or political maneuvering.

The people of San Elizario deserve better than chaos masquerading as leadership.