To the corruption scandal surrounding former Pemex director Emilio Lozoya is added another case that involves high officials from the state oil company who worked with Lozoya during Mexico’s past administration.
At the time, those in charge of Pemex Refining —which later became Industrial Transformation—were allegedly part of a fraud committed against the company. A series of irregularities were found in contracts granted to dissolve a major lubricant distributor created by Pemex and the private company Impulsora Jalisciense A.C .
Authorities found that the contract to dissolve the company, signed on September 2012, had been forged by the former owner of Impulsora Jaliscience, Salvador José Martínez Garza , which not only constitutes an act of corruption that renders the contract invalid, but could also allow for the state oil company Pemex to recover and take control of the company, which is now owned by the Martínez Garza family, the owners of Akron , a brand of automotive lubricants and specialized products.
According to an investigation that will be presented to the relevant authorities in the next few days, that sole inconsistency in the signature of one of the main legal actors in the dissolution of the company founded in 1993, opens up a new door that could favor Pemex’s finances.
Pemex could become the owner of the Akron brand, which is currently owned by Impulsora Jaliscience, a company that currently receives around MXN$4.5 million a month in oil products.
Accordingly, Pemex could make a comeback in Mexico’s oils and lubricants market, which has an estimate value of USD$1.2 billion a year.
The company’s liquidation also entailed exclusivity in the sale of Pemex oils and lubricants at gas service stations from the state oil company. This could also be rendered invalid.
Furthermore, in recovering Akron, Pemex would also be entitled to a sponsorship for the Chivas de Guadalajara F.C. stadium, which is known as the Akron Stadium. The state company would also have the right to profit from sports items with the Akron logo.
Akron is also a sponsor of Mexican boxer Saúl “El Canelo” Álvarez .
Ever since a first deal was signed between Impulsora Jalisciense and Pemex Refinement, there have been a series of irregularities that were allowed by Pemex officials.
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