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Russia’s announcement took Mexico by surprise

Off the Record features fact-checked news written by journalists and contributors to EL UNIVERSAL

A Mexican company will acquire 32 million vaccines from Russia - Photo: RDIF handout
10/09/2020 |08:56
Redacción El Universal
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Russia’s announcement took Mexico by surprise

Sources said the Mexican government and Landsteiner Scientific were taken by surprise when the Russian Direct Investment Fund announced it had reached an agreement with Mexico because although it was known that the pharmaceutical company was looking to sign an agreement with Russia and gain access to its vaccine against COVID-19, the company didn’t plan to announce the news. In Mexico, the Health Ministry and the Foreign Affairs Ministry tried to avoid the topic after the agreement to purchase 32 million vaccines was revealed. Insiders said López Obrador’s government was aware of the operation between Landsteiner and Russia. The important thing is that the announcement was made right when the Mexican government said the vaccine could help the country to overcome the health and economic crisis.

COVID-19 outbreak among lawmakers

Sources said three PAN lawmakers contracted COVID-19 between August 31 and September 9: Michel González Márquez, Xavier Azuara, and Luis Mendoza. Nevertheless, insiders said there could be up to eight cases among lawmakers, as well as many other cases among administrative and cleaning staff now that lawmakers returned to work. Sources remind us that lawmakers ignored physical distancing measures on September 1. Others are wondering if senators also contracted the novel coronavirus.

Will Zaldívar and Gertz accept the President’s request?

Sources said everything indicates Arturo Zaldívar , the head of the Supreme Court, and Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero will accept the President’s invitation to attend a virtual meeting with the families of the 43 missing students. Sources said authorities will provide important information regarding the Ayotzinapa case during this meeting, almost six years after it took place. Let’s not forget that Zaldívar and Gertz Manero don’t always accept the President’s invitations, although this time they surely will.

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Santiago Nieto plans to recover MXN 3,000 million

Santiago Nieto

, the head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF), reminded the Attorney General’s Office that it has yet to handle the lawsuit filed against Gerardo Sosa Castelán, over money-laundering accusations. In a message posted on Twitter, Nieto congratulated Alejandro Gertz Manero on the arrest of Sosa Castelán , who was bound over for trial over organized crime and money laundering charges. Nevertheless, he said the UIF also filed charges against Sosa Castelán, the chairman of the Board of Trustees at Hidalgo’s Autonomous University. Sources said Santiago Nieto is interested in the FGR taking action because the government department could recover over MXN 3,000 million.

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