Dismissals, requests for investigation and requests to answer for the acts were just some of the reactions provoked by the dissemination of a video with an alleged delivery of bribes. This seems to be the first of several chapters that Emilio Lozoya’s remarks will generate in the Mexican political system.
Mexico City, August 17 (However) .- The dissemination of a video where a alleged official of Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) handing over bags of cash to former legislators generated outrage in social networks and the call from the different political sectors of the country that the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) investigate the delivery of resources linked to the approval of contracts with the oil company, during the administration of Enrique Peña Nieto.
The video shook the country’s party structures. This fact aims to be just one of the many chapters that will come out of the revelations promised by the former director of Pemex, Emilio Lozoya Austin.
Through a YouTube account linked to the name of Juan Jesus Javier Lozoya Austin, brother of the former director of Pemex, the video was released showing an alleged worker of the state production company handing over bags full of bundles of bills to Rafael Caraveo, former technical secretary of the Administration Commission of the Senate of the Republic, and Guillermo Gutierrez.
The recording of just over four minutes in length was published 19 hours ago with the title of “THE VIDEO OF EMILIO LOZOYA (PROOF OF BRIBES).” The description reads the following: “Here you can see how money is received for contracts with Pemex.”
During the reproduction, Guillermo Gutiérrez is also observed, who worked for the Governor of Querétaro, Francisco Domínguez Servién, who was a Senator of the National Action Party (PAN).
According to the clip, these two characters appear while counting bundles of 200 and 500 peso bills inside an office. The money is packaged in clear plastic bags on a desk, where there are also a series of open black suitcases.
Most of the time, only the voices of the participants are heard in the background, as the camera rarely points directly at their faces or at money.
“Are there twelve in total?” Caraveo asks as he and Gutiérrez put the bags with tickets in suitcases, although the voice of the person recording the images is altered with an editing program.
THE REACTIONS
Following the dissemination of the videos, the National Action Party (PAN) reported that if any of its members were found to be involved in the bribery case, they would be expelled from the institute.
At the same time, he asked the FGR that the case be investigated and those responsible for the incident be identified.
“If it is confirmed that they are PAN militants, they will be immediately expelled,” said the party’s national leader, Marko Cortes, in a brief statement.
The PAN leader asked to investigate the case thoroughly. Photo: Cuartoscuro.
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For the National Action senators, the dissemination of the video has become a “media circus” and they accused President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of violating due process in the case of Lozoya Austin.
“What we are seeing is that we are only looking for a media circus; This Government of Morena does not seek justice, it only seeks to prevent people from talking about problems right now to talk about problems that were happening before, without having respect for the institutions, for the due processes; of course, what I see as a media circus to hit the opposition, ”said the Senate Mauricio Kuri.
Senator Kenia López also asked the president to stop doing “circus politics” and described it as a mistake to ask the FGR to disseminate the video of the interrogation of Lozoya Austin.
Meanwhile, Senator Xóchitl Gálvez reported that she will file a complaint to investigate the video in which Caraveo and Gutiérrez appear.
“Tomorrow I will be filing a complaint with the Attorney General so that the content of this video can be investigated, responsibilities can be defined, perhaps call the characters involved and punish if there is any illegal as it gives the impression of what we are watching in the videos, ”he said.
In tune with his peers on the bench, he regretted that the filtering of videos continues and even accused that everything seems like a “media show.”
“It is unfortunate that these types of videos continue to be filtered in the media because deep down I don’t know if what they really want is to apply the law or make a media show; Apparently this video is not part of the investigation folder of the Attorney General’s Office, but it is regrettable, in any case, ”said Gálvez.
In contrast, the leader of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), Alfonso Ramírez Cuéllar, demanded that those involved respond to their alleged participation in the delivery of bribes.
Through Twitter, Ramírez Cuéllar called the president of Querétaro to explain why one of his collaborators was caught in the delivery of money; likewise, he asked the PAN to “clarify Lozoya’s bribes.”
The fight against corruption must go thoroughly. The governor of Querétaro, Francisco Domínguez Servién, owes an explanation. @NationalAction must clear up Lozoya’s bribes.
– Alfonso Ramírez Cuéllar (@aramirezcuellar) August 17, 2020
THE CONSEQUENCES
The dissemination of the video made the Governor of Querétaro, Francisco Domínguez Servíen, dismiss Guillermo Gutiérrez Badillo, one of the characters that appears in the video and who currently served as the private secretary of the state president.
“As always, in compliance with the law, I determined the immediate dismissal of Guillermo Gutiérrez, Badillo, so that he could contribute to the clarification and demarcation of responsibilities of the broadcast video, before the competent authority,” the state president wrote on his Twitter account.
Earlier, in a thread of four messages, Domínguez Servién clarified that he “never” had knowledge of the alleged acts of this person.
“For this reason, regardless of the legal powers that federal or state authorities may have in this matter, I have decided to remove said person from his position and report to the state comptroller so that, in his capacity as a public servant, account for their actions”.
In addition, the Governor of Querétaro established that “I have never committed any improper act, so I reiterate my willingness to collaborate with the authorities in this and any other event.”
In relation to what was disseminated: pic.twitter.com/84Ug71D1Sh
– Pancho Domínguez (@PanchDominguez) August 17, 2020
While the defense of Emilio Lozoya Austin accused that He supplanted the identity of the brother of the former director of Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), Juan Jesús Lozoya Austin.
In a statement released by the lawyer Miguel Ontiveros Alonso, from the Ontiveros Consulting firm, pointed out that Lozoya Austin’s brother does not have any account associated with YouTube, so someone impersonated his identity.
“The dissemination of the video was carried out by committing a crime, creating a false account and impersonating the identity of Mr. Juan Jesús Lozoya Austin,” the document states.
Statement 01/2020 of the defense of Mr. Emilio Ricardo Lozoya Austin: pic.twitter.com/CsY1lQj9ls
– Miguel Ontiveros (@OntiverosAlonso) August 17, 2020
He added that due to the fact, Juan Jesús Lozoya Austin “will present, in the next few hours, the corresponding complaint at the Attorney General’s Office.”
Therefore, he reiterated that any information related to the case of Lozoya Austin “must be done through official channels, safeguarding the private life and the image of those who intervene.”
On the side of the authorities, sources revealed to the newspapers Reforma and Milenio that the video broadcast on social networks has not been presented by Lozoya Austin as evidence.
The national media added that the video is not in the possession of the FGR, so the origin of the video is unknown.
WHO ARE THE INVOLVED?
Rafael Caraveo and Guillermo Gutiérrez are the protagonists of the video where they are seen receiving money from an alleged Pemex worker.
The appeal was apparently delivered for the approval of contracts in favor of some companies, during Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration.
At that time, Caraveo served as technical secretary of the Administration Commission of the Senate of the Republic.
Caraveo is a public accountant from the Autonomous University of Campeche and a lawyer from the Interamerican University; He also has a postgraduate degree from the University of Castilla-La Mancha.
Caraveo on a trip. Photo: Facebook.
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He was a close collaborator of former PAN senator Jorge Luis Lavalle. The PAN was one of the negotiators of the Energy Reform when Lozoya Austin was director of Pemex.
For this reason, the former leader of the PAN in Campeche, Yolanda Valladares, pointed to Caraveo as an alleged name-man of Lavalle.
Gutiérrez Badillo served until today as private secretary of the Governor of Querétaro.
Gutiérrez Badillo. Photo: Special.
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The individual has worked closely with Domínguez Servién. He was his private advisor in the Senate of the Republic (2012-2015); in the municipal presidency of Querétaro and in a federal council.
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