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By Brian Hews
Two weeks ago, HMG-CN was told by very reliable sources that Maribal Zavala had a baby with Luis Marquez, that Maquez and his wife Alma threatened her, and that Zavala had filed a paternity lawsuit because “Luis had abandoned the baby.”
HMG-CN confirmed the lawsuit at the Norwalk Courthouse and subsequently published an exclusive article on Oct. 7.
A paper based out of Downey failed to publish the story, with sources telling HMG-CN that its publisher and editor withheld the report because they favor Marquez and his wife Alma, with the latter running for a Downey City Council seat Nov. 8.
Zavala subsequently contacted HMG-CN and issued a statement which HMG-CN exclusively published Thursday.
HMG-CN called Alma Marquez who said she had no comment and then hung up. Luis indicated he would send a statement, but, as of the time of this publication, he has not issued a statement.
Now La Opinion has published an article, which, on the surface, seems to blame Zavala for the entire affair.
Even with a positive paternity test, Marquez continues to deny the affair and blames the articles as “poltical attacks.”
HMG-CN has provided the link to La Opinion for those who can read Spanish.
Acusan a concejal de Downey de no querer hacerse cargo de su hijo
HMG-CN also copied and pasted the article in Google Translator, which is below.
NOTE: The translation is not perfect.
Downey Councilman Accused of Not Wanting to Take Care of Child
The accusation comes just as the wife of the councilor is campaigning to keep the vacancy left in the hall
Maribel Zavala, a woman who had an affair with the current councilman Downey, Luis Marquez, accused him of threats when she refused to keep it a private matter to the child that the political and she had out of wedlock. He also claimed that Marquez does not want to take over child support.
“He lived with our son since he was born until his wife, Alma Marquez, learned of the existence of the child. Then ceased to support him emotionally and financially, “Zavala said.
Meanwhile the council responded that the allegations are part of a political attack against his wife Alma Marquez, who is campaigning to keep the seat that Marquez vacated at the Council of Downey.
Marquez was elected councilor for Downey in 2008 and reelected in 2012. He was mayor of Downey in 2015 and living as a government relations consultant.
His wife Alma Marquez has worked for the Assembly and the Senate for eight years. He represented the former Senator Roderick Wright and former senator and exasambleísta Betty Karnette. His most recent position was as district director for Senator Tony Mendoza.
Right now, Alma Marquez is in full political campaign for the seat vacated by her husband Luis Marquez in December. The councilman thought of finding a place in the Local Water Board but desisted.
Zavala, 40, a social worker who graduated from the State University of California, Los Angeles (CSULA) working in public relations, said that when he began the relationship with Marquez, he assured her that he was divorced.
“When he found out he was married told me that her marriage was only political appearance,” he said.
He said to tell you she was pregnant, the politician was happy but “asked me to bring my pregnancy with discretion for political reasons and assured me that our son would recognize after the end of his term in Downey Council”.
Last June, he recalled that Marquez asked to see her at home to discuss the family situation. “I agreed but asked that the meeting was in a public place. At the meeting, his wife Alma Marquez shared that her husband planned to campaign for a seat on the local water board and she for the Council of the City of Downey, and was told that suited me keep quiet “.
Zavala said he declined the offer and asked them both to the councilman acknowledged he was the father of her son and take responsibility. “In response, threatened them and told me I could go bad things to me and my son, and I would regret if made public that Luis Marquez was the father,” he said.
“I decided to put aside my fears, and legal action. He did not attend family mediation and October 4 at a court hearing, he said he was not sure it was the father. Then the judge ordered a paternity test confirmed that he is the father of my son, “he said.
Zavala sent a copy of the review document showing the results, which indicate that there is a 99.99% chance that Luis Márquez is the father of Sebastian Zavala, now 18 months old.
Zavala stated that decided to make her story public because “it is a shame that an elected official use public office to intimidate the mother of his child. I feel sad having to taking the legal route to defend our son, who is the only victim of neglect of his father for so long. ”
Political attacks
In a statement, the council Marquez called for respect for the privacy of your family, your children and let the legal process take its course to resolve the issue.
“The timing of these false, dirty and political attacks against my wife Alma Marquez is very interesting especially because the election will be held in less than three weeks,” he said.
He emphasized that “Alma should not pay the consequences of these allegations and completely false to discredit his candidacy for the Council of the City of Downey political attacks.”
“She competes on its own merits and experience. It is the best and most qualified to represent District 1 candidate Downey. She has a real plan to make Downey is a safer city and to put the community first. These tactics and dirty political slanders not take place in our political scene Downey, “he said.
