Pemexgate

Pemexgate was a political scandal of the Mexican political party PRI that occurred during the presidency of Ernesto Zedillo (1994-2000) and was discovered and investigated during the presidency of Vicente Fox (2000-2006).

Event

During the PRI years the administrative environment of PEMEX, the national oil company, was very corrupt because it was a monopoly, had no stock holders, a powerful union, and a complex structure that was hidden from the general public.

In 2001 it was discovered that funds from the workers union of PEMEX had been illegally directed to support the campaign of Francisco Labastida, the presidential candidate for the Institutional Revolutionary Party in the year 2000. Those thought responsible were not convicted although the party was fined $1,000 million (about USD $90 million). The press gave it the name 'Pemexgate', a portmanteau of PEMEX and Watergate.

Investigations

In 2001, investigations started and after a long process, the government declared that Pemexgate was not a matter of money laundering or organized delinquency. Because of this, many people were declared innocent but some of them where declared responsible for electoral fraud and illegal exercise of the public trust.

Executives from PEMEX who were declared innocent: Rogelio Montemayor (ex director of the administrative corporative), Carlos Juaristi Septien (ex director of the financial corporative), and Julio Pindter Gonzalez (subdirector of labor relations).

From the union, three men were declared innocent of money laundering and organized delinquency, but they were accused of electoral fraud and illegal exercise of the public trust: Carlos Romero Deschamps (leader of the union), Ricardo Aldana (union member), Jesus Olvera Mendez (union member).

From the PRI, four men were declared innocent from money laundering and organized delinquency, but they were accused of electoral fraud. It is important to mention that they were collaborators (directly involved in the campaign) of Francisco Labastida. They were: Carlos Aldama (ex secretary of elections), Jorge Cárdenas Elizondo (ex secretary of financial department), Alonso Bretón Figueroa (sub secretary of financial department), and Joel Hortiales Pacheco (ex technical secretary of financial department).^[1]

Sources

• http://www.thefreelibrary.com/On+the+run%3B+haughty+evasion+of+justice+by+central+Pemexgate+figure...-a0111274431

References

1. ^ Barajas Abel. "Reducen cargos por 'Pemexgate'". http://0-proquest.umi.com.millenium.itesm.mx/pqdlink?index=14&did=373013701&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1191863806&clientId=23693. Retrieved 2007-10-04.