Graft probe into Mexico president's ally poses tricky challenge ahead of elections

20 DE OCTUBRE DE 2017 / 20:14 / HACE UNA HORA
Graft probe into Mexico president's ally poses tricky challenge ahead of elections
Gabriel Stargardter, Ana Isabel Martinez


MEXICO CITY, Oct 20 (Reuters) - With a tight general election looming next year, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto faces a tough choice on whether to pursue a graft probe involving a prominent ally and Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht.

Mexico’s top prosecutor, acting Attorney General, Alberto Elias Beltran, on Friday fired the federal attorney general responsible for electoral crimes, adding fuel to a case that may complicate the president’s efforts to shake off allegations of corruption in the run-up to the July 2018 presidential vote.

The dismissal of top electoral prosecutor, Santiago Nieto, came two days after he accused Emilio Lozoya, the former boss of state oil firm Pemex, and a longtime ally of President Pena Nieto, in a newspaper interview of writing to him to ask to be declared innocent of funneling Odebrecht cash to political campaigns.

In Brazil, Odebrecht has admitted to paying bribes in several countries in Latin America, including Mexico.

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