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The Lopez Obrador's Government wants Emilio Lozoya for prosecution for his alleged participation in organized crime, bribery, and operations with resources of illicit origin in the Odebrecht case.
Medico Attorney General's Office of Mexico confirmed that the former director of the state-owned Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) during Enrique Peña Nieto's administration, Emilio Lozoya Austin, was arrested Wednesday by police authorities in the city of Malaga.
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Lozoya, who had not been seen publicly since mid-2019, is wanted by Lopez Obrador's Government to be prosecuted for his alleged participation in organized crime, bribery, and operations with resources of illicit origin in the Odebrecht case.
The head of Mexico's Public Administration Ministry, Irma Sandoval, congratulated Mexico's attorney general on Twitter for the arrest of Lozoya, whom she branded a "representative and operator of the worst structural corruption."
So far, Spanish authorities have not given more details about the detention. However, Javier Coello, Lozoya's lawyer, has notified that his client had yet to decide whether to fight extradition from Spain or return voluntarily to Mexico.
Felicidades al Fiscal General de la República @FGRMexico Alejandro Gertz Manero por su infatigable e impecable lucha para lograr la detención de Emilio #Lozoya representante y operador de la peor corrupción estructural del neoliberalismo pic.twitter.com/rxhrB8AQrB
— Irma Eréndira Sandoval B. (@Irma_Sandoval) February 12, 2020
Congratulations to the Attorney General of the Republic @FGRMexico Alejandro Gertz Manero for his tireless and impeccable struggle to secure the arrest of Emilio #Lozoya, representative, and operator of the worst structural corruption of neoliberalism.
"It's his personal decision. We have all the evidence necessary to defend him," Coello told Mexican TV station Milenio.
Mexico's Attorney General's office issued an arrest warrant for Emilio Lozoya, former chief executive officer of the state-owned oil company, Pemex, back in May 2019. The detention request was based on the accusations surrounding the Odebrecht case and for allegedly receiving a bribe from one of the largest national steelmakers, Altos Hornos de Mexico (AHMSA), before he became a government official.
#FGRInforma Confirma detención por parte de autoridades españolas de Emilio “L” en aquel país.
— FGR México (@FGRMexico) February 12, 2020
#FGRInforma Confirms detention by Spanish authorities of Emilio "L" in that country.
Part of the investigation into Lozoya has been focused on money transfers that AHMSA made to a shell company allegedly set up by Odebrecht to pay bribes. That shell firm in turn allegedly sent the funds to Lozoya and his relatives.
This marked the first big case against the alleged corruption in former President Enrique Peña Nieto's inner circle. True to his campaign promise, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has worked to root out corruption in the public sector and to clean up the politics in the Latin American nation.
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