According to the Wall Street Journal , Mexican authorities are investigating former President Enrique Peña Nieto , as part of a case against Emilio Lozoya, the former Pemex chief arrested in Spain last week.
The case against Lozoya is the highest-profile corruption case in years.
According to the testimony of Odebrecht executives, Lozoya received USD $9 million in bribes to secure Pemex contracts.
Additionally, Lozoya is accused of receiving USD $3.5 million from Altos Hornos in order to secure the sale of a useless fertilizer plant , Agronitrogenados , for a higher price.
The source added that evidence and Lozoya ’s testimony will determine if former President Enrique Peña Nieto is charged for his possible involvement in Odebrecht and Agronitrogenados cases.
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In 2016 , the investigation against Lozoya started with his involvement with Odebrecht but no charges were made against him until 2019 when President López Obrado r took office.
Lozoya’s lawyer, Javier Coello Trejo , has repeatedly said the former Pemex chief “didn’t act on his own,” implying he was just following orders.
Although President López Obrador has suggested that people should decide whether or not former Presidents are prosecuted through a referendum, the Attorney General’s Office is the only institution that could bring Peña Nieto before justice.
A source said a wealthy friend helped Lozoya to hide in La Zagaleta, Spain . The source revealed Lozoya also spent time Germany , Holland , Italy , and Russia before his arrest in Spain .
During his daily news conference, President López Obrador said he is not aware of an investigation into Enrique Peña Nieto.
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“There is no investigation that I know of against the former president Peña Nieto,” López Obrador said this morning.
The last time Peña Nieto was seen in public was in September 2019, when he was spotted wearing a wig to feast on sushi along with model girlfriend Tania Ruíz in New York City.
In recent days, Peña’s girlfriend posted a cryptic message to her Instagram account, which suggests she will support the former President through anything.
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