Why Some Stories Are Missing from American History
Where I am as I write this short essay it is a gloomy, rainy, water everywhere, cold, and everything-is-closed day but for my brain and lap top. A storm is sitting along the Pacific coastline dropping record inches of rain. The storm is to last several days. The only good things are rain water is good for crops, the vegetation, reservoirs, ponds and lakes, and the overall environment. There are no parades, outdoor celebrations, or ceremonies anywhere celebrating President’s Day around here. Originally, it was to give federal employees a day off so it was named after the first president of the United States of America in 1879. A few years later in 1898 in San Antonio, Texas some wealthy White influential men organized a George Washington Day. Laredo, Texas followed suit. The Laredo event is huge and lasts a long time. In 2026, it is running since January 16th to March 1st. There is an Abrazo Ceremony during which influentials from the other Laredo, the one in Mexico, meet at the international bridge and share hugs or abrazos. Since the US-Mexico border became militarized and National Guardsmen from Texas are along the river and US Border Patrol boats run up and down the river hunting for “illegals” there has not been an Abrazos Ceremony. Lots of different events take place besides a parade with floats. Imagine a dark-skinned Mexican origin man and woman like Henry and wife Imelda wearing colonial clothing and white powdered wigs posing as George and Martha Washington which they did in 2014. One of these floats features 13 young women dressed to the hilt in colonial representing the original 13 colonies. Heading the parade is Mr. and Mrs. George Washington also dressed the hilt in colonial attire. These families spend over $20,000 to outfit their daughters for this parade. The per capita income in the city is less than $15,000; 59, 270 persons live in poverty in the city, 19.5% of the total population. In the metro area the percentage is 20.5%. Laredo historically, has not had a book store. Finally, Barnes and Noble opened only to close by 2023. What hypocrites.
I cannot bring myself to even look at the television screen or internet to see what dumb stunt the current president of the USA in engaged in to draw attention to himself on this President’s Day. He is the most vile, corrupt, sexual abuser, criminal and unethical man to occupy the White House. Others have come close like Ulysses Grant, Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, and both George Bush’s.
One other corrupt, vile, criminal and unethical man from Laredo is the U.S. Representative Enrique Roberto Cuellar from the 28th District. He prefers to be called Henry. His father was born in Mexico. His mother, the late Odilia Perez, was born in Zapata, Texas.
In 2021, Democrat turned Republican, Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed Henry to be the Texas Secretary of State. Within a couple of years, Henry beat U.S. Representative Ciro Rodriguez, a former member of the Raza Unida Party, in the 2004 Democratic Primary by 58 votes.
Texas since Reconstruction has been like the South, a one-party dictatorship by Democrats. As of 1994, it began to change because turncoat Democrats like Rick Perry, John Connally, and John Cornyn, for example, switched to the Republican Party. Texas has and is now a one-party dictatorship by Republicans. Many other Henry-types switched party affiliation in South Texas. For example, look up the political history of 6 state representatives in the Rio Grande Valley up to Kingsville who went from Democrats to Republicans. All of this re-alignment occurred during the chairmanship of Gilbert Hinojosa, Texas Democratic Party Chair.
Last week, the US House of Representatives passed the SAVE Act which will require proof of US citizenship to register to vote; namely a US Passport. In Texas, that is about 1.7 million people who do not have a valid US Passport or 17% of all the residents. In 2026, it costs from $130 to $247, plus cost of 2 photos and time to wait for such a passport.
The vote in the House of Representatives was 218 to 213 with one Democrat voting with the Republicans to pass this voter suppression measure. The one Democrat was Henry.
The 28th District runs from Universal City on the east side of Bexar County (San Antonio) down to Laredo along I-35 and past to Rio Grande City. 28th The Congressional District is 77% Hispanic voters. The State Representative from Rio Grande City (District 30) is Ryan Guillen. He was one of those Democrats who has switched to Republican since 2021.
Hispanic voters have opposed Henry. They have supported opposition candidates like Jessica Cisneros in 2019 and again in 2022. In 2024, Speaker Hakim Jefferies, former Whip Katherine Clark, Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, and even former Speaker Nancy Pelosis; former Majority Leader Steny Hover and Assistant Democratic Party Leader Jim Clyburn endorsed Henry.
As a employer of House staff, Henry pays them the lowest salary of all other Congress members. The median salary in his office was $47,480.
It gets better. In 2022, the FBI raided his house with a search warrant. They were looking into the Azerbaijani money laundering scandal. A federal grand jury issued subpoenas for records related to Henry Cuellar and wife, Imelda. They were indicted on May 3, 2024. Two of his political advisors, a former campaign manager and assistant, Colin Strother and Florencio “Lencho” Rendon pled guilty. President Donald Trump unconditionally pardoned Cuellar and his wife on December 3, 2025. Why wait for a trial?
Henry has a lot of help besides Trump and Republican money donors. His brother, Martin Cuellar is the Webb County Sheriff. His sister, Rosie Cuellar is a municipal judge. And, 17% of his district are White Republicans in northeast Bexar County. And the national Democratic Party leadership is still backing him. Forget any effort to get him censured by Democrats. Hopefully, the Democrats in the US Senate will not help pass the SAVE Act.