Where is Lozoya?

Where is Lozoya?

Not even the closest former collaborators of Emilio Lozoya Austin were able to find him yesterday. The former CEO of state-owned company Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) was singled out by the former CEO of Brazilian company Odebrecht , Luis Alberto de Meneses Weyll . It's no trifle what the former executive said – or rather, what the Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported he said – about Mr. Emilio, who, it appears, hadn't the slightest interest in showing his face before the accusations; he just refuted them via Twitter.

According to Meneses Weyll, the Brazilian multinational bribed Lozoya for 10 million dollars in 2012, that is, before he became the CEO of PEMEX and was still part of the entourage of then presidential candidate Enrique Peña Nieto . Further along the line, according to Meneses, Lozoya was given 6 million dollars more for the awarding of a construction project of 115 million inside a refinery. Naturally, some questions arise. Has the Office of the Mexican Attorney-General located Lozoya? Is Lozoya still in the country? Will the tale have a similar fate to the other Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) members, such as Javier Duarte, Roberto Borge or Tomás Yarrington? Will extradition continue to be the tradition?

The new PRD national leader

The Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) is preparing for next weekend their National Council to discuss the succession proceeding. After three months of disagreements which saw the members unable to cast their votes in all regions, the proceeding will finally be a negotiation – submitted to the vote of more than 300 councilors – appointing the next national party leader for the 2018 elections , replacing current leader Alejandra Barrales. Mrs. Alejandra will conclude her term to return to the Mexican Senate. However, it seems she won't stay idle, since she's ready to become the PRD candidate to the presidency, and if it were the case, of an opposition front for the Government of Mexico City. Meanwhile, the profile for the new leader has taken shape – although there are no names yet – male or female, the next successor will have to smooth out the alliances with the conservative National Action Party (PAN) and some other parties, to fight inch by inch the capital of the country from the grasp of the National Regeneration Party (MORENA)

Meade is recently unlocked and...

This week, the schedule of the Mexican Treasury Secretary, José Antonio Meade , will have a legislative touch to it. We're told Meade will have breakfast tomorrow with ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) deputies and he will dine in the afternoon with senators of the same party. Our sources claim the meeting with the legislators has nothing to do with Meade's own aspirations to become the PRI's Presidential candidate – it's just one of those frequent meetings between the members of Enrique Peña Nieto's cabinet with the PRI members who hold a position within the Legislative Branch. Nevertheless, this time will be the first time Meade will meet the PRI members without the locks that prevented him from being one of the party's nominees for the Presidential Candidacy.

True colors

According to our sources, within the members of the left Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) part of the Deputy Chamber, a front was created in favor of the party, since false information has circulated regarding the desertion of some legislators, who have openly stated their intentions of remaining with the party and in their current positions. This is the case of the deputies Arturo Santana Alfaro, Leonardo Amador Rodríguez y Sergio López Sánches, who have had to deny not only their resignation before members of their own party but, also their incorporation to the ranks of the far- left National Regeneration Party (MORENA) . We're told they've asked the national leadership to put a stop to the rumors of false resignations, some of them, as they say, spread from within the PRD and the Parliament Group. They claim they are loyal to their cause, but some want to force them to change their true colors.

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