Investigations into ‘Fiscal Huachicol‘ Extend to Military and National Guard Involvement in Ferrotanques Scheme
mexico City – Investigations intoโฃ widespread fuel โsmuggling, dubbed “huachicol fiscal,” are now focusing on potential complicity from โฃmembers of the military and the National Guard (GN) who โallegedly accepted bribes to allow Ferrotanques,โ a rail transport company, to operate without paying taxes. The scheme reportedly facilitated the movement of fuel across the country, evading significant tax revenue.
Theโ investigation, stemming from a report published by โข El Global on July 29, centers on marketers and distributors as key actors in theโ fuel smuggling โnetwork -โข those who ultimately deliver the illicit fuel to consumers. Sources โwithin the Federalโ Security Cabinet indicate that research points โฃto widespread corruption โขinvolving “custodians”โ and others involved in the process, โคaccepting “millionaire โฃamounts of money” in bribes.
The scandal began gaining traction in โ2013 following the energy reform that opened โthe hydrocarbon sector to private โinvestment. โขBetween May 8, 2015, and June 20, 2024, the now-defunct โEnergyโข Regulatory Commission (CRE) โreceived 983 requests for hydrocarbon marketing permits, though only 40% were ultimately approved.
Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has publicly โdismissed claims thatโฃ familyโค members of President Andrรฉs manuel Lรณpez Obrador (AMLO) are implicated in the investigations. A third โmember of theโข military allegedly involved in the scheme has reportedly โขexpressedโ fears for their โฃsafety, according to El Universal.