The leadership of the Oaxacan municipalities against COVID-19: The case of Santa Catarina Cuixtla, México, an analysis from the crisis management approach

Abstract

In the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, two regimes of social and political organization coexist, political parties and indigenous regulatory systems (SNI), the latter present in 73 per cent of Oaxacan municipalities, a context where the main characteristic elements are the community assembly, the cargo system and tequio. During the Covid-19 pandemic, some municipal governments of the SNI regime have stood out for their leadership in managing the health crisis, innovation and implementation of actions to contain and minimize effects in their territories, and prioritizing the protection of public health. In this sense, the objective of this communication is to analyze the strategies that the Oaxacan SNI municipal governments have implemented to face the Covid-19 pandemic, through the crisis management approach. The case of Santa Catarina Cuixtla, Oaxaca, whose socio-political organization system preserves its uses and customs, highlighting features of social cohesion, is presented. The management of the pandemic is characterized and analyzed from ten executive tasks for effective crisis management (early recognition, creation of meaning, decision making, coordination, accountability, learning, resilience, among others) identifying innovation actions, participation, and social cohesion.