Lawyer: Peña Nieto and Videgaray should testify in Mexico corruption case

Javier Coello Trejo

, an attorney representing the embattled Emilio Lozoya Austin , former CEO of Mexican state oil company Pemex said Wednesday that both ex-President Enrique Peña Nieto and former Minister of Finance Luis Videgaray Caso should be called to testify about corruption allegations against his client.

Emilio Lozoya, who managed Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) during most of Peña Nieto's 2012-2018 term , remains at large more than a month after a judge ordered his arrest in a case involving the oil giant's purchase of a fertilizer plant.

Coello Trejo indicated that Mexican authorities should call each and every member of Pemex’s management board who worked with Lozoya before court, as well as members of Pemex PMI Holding and Pemex PMI for North America who participated in the purchase of fertilizer business Fertinal.

The attorney explained that once Pemex purchased the plant, the state company launched a project for its rehabilitation. However, after Lozoya left Pemex, his successors decided to suspend the project.

According to the lawyer, this resulted in the plant’s deterioration and claimed that Luis Videgaray, former Minister of Finance, was responsible for said suspension.

He also commented that Pedro Joaquín Coldwell , former Energy Minister during the administration of Enrique Peña Nieto, should also be called to testify and clarify the exact instructions he received from the head of the Executive branch for the implementation of the energy reform, through which the nitrogenous fertilizers plan was acquired.

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