Yesterday, journalist Ciro Gómez Leyva released a video that shows former governor Javier Duarte moments before his arrest, apparently confirming his claim that the Mexican government staged his arrest.
In the video , Duarte can be seen standing near a lagoon. He explains that is is the Atitlán lagoon , located in Guatemala .
During the video, Duarte says “today is Saturday, April 15, 2017,” a few seconds later, Duarte claims that his “arrest” was a pact with the government: “I want to inform that in a few moments, according to the agreement established with the federal government , I will be detained. I surrender myself.”
The former Veracruz governor explains that he is surrendering himself so that he “can defend himself” and this way, fulfill the agreements established with the federal government. According to his recorded statement, this will allow that “his family members are no longer harassed.”
Duarte
also asks that what he considers as a media, political, and legal persecution against him and his family comes to an end. He also confesses that if he surrenders himself, the charges against his family will be dropped .
The former governor states that he will be a “ political prisoner (…) now I will tell you that in case I'm forced to make any statement, any accusation against any person (…) it will be (made) against my will.”
The former official emphasizes that he wasn't arrested and insists that he is surrendering himself. He ends the video by saying that authorities will announce his arrest as if he had been detained, nevertheless, he claims he was in fact free and accompanied by his family.
Javier Duarte
was allegedly detained on April 15, 2017, by the now extinct General Prosecutor's Office after being at large for six months. He was accused of organized crime, money laundering , and fraud.
Javier Duarte's alleged arrest
The now extinct General Prosecutor's Office announced Duarte's arrest in Guatemala on April 15, 2017.
The authorities claim that his arrest was the result of an investigation and that it received support from the Interpol's office in Guatemala .
The statement claimed Javier Duarte was arrested in Panajachel, Guatemala .
Former Interior Minister, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong
, denies making a pact with Duarte.
Former President Enrique Peña Nieto
has yet to comment on the matter.
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