On Tuesday Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office asked their Congress to remove legal immunity from the governor of the state of Tamaulipas on the Texas border so that he can face potential charges of organized crime and other offenses. Governor Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca denied the charges via Twitter insisting upon his innocence and calling the charges a political attack.
A Political Hit Job? Or Real Organized Crime?
Governor Cabeza de Vaca’s party, the National Action Party (NAP) is currently the minority in Mexico after losing ground to the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) the traditionally dominant party of Mexico and both being dashed by the MORENA or “National Regeneration Movement” under current President Manual Lopez Obrador. Multiple prominent NAP members are rising to de Vaca’s defense including former Mexican President Felipe Calderon who tweeted(Translated).
“There are confessed crimes of people linked to the presidency, and no action has been taken. Instead, justice is used to persecute and harass political adversaries, as in the case of @fgcabezadevaca, with elements that nobody knows. There is a gross political persecution in Mexico.”
Hay delitos confesos de personas vinculadas a la presidencia, y no se ha actuado. En cambio se utiliza la justicia para perseguir y hostigar a adversarios políticos, como en el caso de @fgcabezadevaca, con elementos que nadie conoce. Hay una burda persecución política en México.
— Felipe Calderón (@FelipeCalderon) February 24, 2021
According to San Antonio CBS Affiliate KENS Cabeza de Vaca, “has governed the Gulf state south of Texas since 2016. Organized crime groups have long had deep roots in the state and numerous politicians have been implicated in dealings with them. Former Gov. Tomás Yarrington of the Institutional Revolutionary Party was extradited to the U.S. from Italy in 2018 to face drug trafficking charges.”
On his official Twitter account, Cabeza de Vaca accused the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of leaking “a supposed allegation” as part of a political attack.
“Morena is leaking a supposed accusation against me. Factional use of justice again where there is no crime. A political attack is being orchestrated. I will wait to be notified [of the allegations] in order to have details and establish my position. I have never violated the law. I will defend myself against any abuse,” he wrote.
Les comparto este mensaje, luego de la filtración mediática de supuestas acusaciones en mi contra. pic.twitter.com/rCoWgsgVh8
— Fco. Cabeza de Vaca (@fgcabezadevaca) February 24, 2021
Gov’t Discovers Hidden Assets
According to MexicoNewsDaily, the Mexican Federal Government uncovered major purchases by Cabeza de Vaca that greatly exceeded his net worth and Government salary.
“The Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and the Finance Ministry’s Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) have accused the National Action Party governor of involvement in a scheme that laundered 42 million pesos (US $2 million) using two fraudulent companies.
Their investigation stemmed from a criminal complaint filed against García by private citizens who accuse the governor of illicit enrichment to the tune of 951 million pesos (US $46.3 million).”
Perhaps this is sign of Mexico City finally attempting to put its’ house in order after decades of relentless corruption, vice and cartel over lordship. Or perhaps witch-hunts aren’t only popular in Washington, D.C., but in Ciudad de Mexico, D.F. as well. Given that both nations now have progressive-socialist governments in power, neither answer would be surprising.