Marx Arriaga Navarro left his office at the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) on February 17, 2026, after receiving formal notification of his dismissal as director general of Educational Materials. The former official denied allegations of requesting 'kickbacks' from workers and stated he will return to teaching. His departure took place amid supportive chants from employees.
Marx Arriaga remained in his SEP office from February 13, when his dismissal was announced, until February 17, when he received the official document confirming his removal. During his tenure, he faced allegations of improper collections and mistreatment, but Arriaga categorically denied them. 'It's a lie, I did absolutely nothing,' he stated while traveling on Mexico City's Metro.
In an interview with Carmen Aristegui, he reiterated that he never requested money from teachers or employees. 'Thousands of teachers know us in the country, we worked with them and never asked them for anything,' he affirmed. Arriaga noted that he himself filed a complaint with the Internal Control Body after his departure and that there is no formal notification against him.
His exit from the building in Mexico City was accompanied by chants of 'You're not alone' and 'Out Mario Delgado from SEP' from workers. He packed his belongings and headed to Coyoacán Metro station, carrying a backpack and a picture of Karl Marx. He indicated that he signed positions for honorary colleagues that day and that he will not live off public administration, choosing to return to the classroom.
The SEP appointed Nadia López García as his replacement, who will promote content on women and indigenous people in free textbooks. Arriaga contradicted President Claudia Sheinbaum, who mentioned disagreements over including women in history; he claimed that the SEP requested the removal of mentions of Ayotzinapa, the dirty war, and other sensitive topics.
According to his 2025 asset declaration, Arriaga earned 1,643,881 net pesos annually and owned a house, vehicles including a 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air bought for 60 pesos, and credit card debts.
