Magglio Ordonez goes from MLB star to socialist mayor in one year

Magglio Ordonez has transformed from an All-Star outfielder in Major League Baseball to a mayor of a city in his native Venezuela in just a year’s time.

The former player for the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers was elected mayor of Sotillo, an eastern Venezuelan city with approximately 250,000 citizens, this weekend.

Ordonez is a member of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela and a supporter of President Nicolas Maduro, who announced the six-time All Star’s election at a rally Sunday.

Maduro is known to turn to celebrity candidates to help bolster support in the midst of rising anger with his economic policies.

Ordonez is among a majority of pro-government candidates who won one of the 335 races nationwide.

After 15 seasons in the major leagues, Ordonez retired in 2012 with a career batting average of .309. He hit 294 home runs, the second most by a player born in Venezuela (Andres Galarraga has 399).

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