Bootmaker to Bush and Fox jailed in US

Bootmaker to Bush and Fox jailed in US

By LISA J. ADAMS, Associated Press Writer Sat Sep 22, 12:10 AM ET

GUANAJUATO, Mexico - A bootmaker to world leaders, including President Bush and Vicente Fox, is in a Colorado jail, charged with money laundering and conspiring to illegally smuggle the skins of protected animals into the U.S. to provide exotic footwear for high-end clients.

The arrest of Martin Villegas — and Mexico's raid of a warehouse filled with hundreds of cowboy boots and belts made from endangered species — has raised questions about how much Fox knew of the scheme and whether the former Mexican president purchased illegal boots himself.

Before Fox left office in December, Villegas created a special brand of cowboy boot named after him, which was manufactured in Mexico's shoemaking capital, Leon, in Fox's home state of Guanajuato.

The Mexican bootmaker also produced footwear for Fox's bodyguards, Cabinet members, relatives and friends — including Bush, a fellow lover of ranchwear who accepted a pair of ostrich-skin cowboy boots as a gift during a visit to Fox's ranch in 2001.

Fox, in Rome for his election as co-president of an association of center-right parties from around the world, was under fire this week from Mexican media speculating not only about the boots, but the source of his post-presidential wealth.

Reached by The Associated Press in their hotel Friday, former first lady Martha Sahagun said she and Fox were aware of Villegas' arrest but would not comment.

Fox issued a blanket denial through his Web site Friday, challenging the media to come up with hard evidence to support the allegations. "Conduct a thorough investigation, and if you find any indication of corruption, file a complaint," he wrote.

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Mexico Prepares For Bush Visit

'Cowboy Summit' to be first trip abroad as president

Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer
Friday, February 16, 2001

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Behold the gift that captures the moment: exotic, elegant navy-blue ostrich skin boots, embellished with the entwined flags of both countries, an elaborate logo

of the Mexican president, and the finishing touch -- gold embroidery, marking the historic date and the recipient: "GWB."

The custom-made size 10 boots are a friendship token from Fox -- and Mexico -- to Bush, symbolizing "good relations between Mexico and the U.S," says designer Martin Villegas Terrones, who produced the gift at the Fox family boot company, headquartered in Leon.

Don't try to put a dollar value on them, Villegas Terrones says. "They are priceless. We put so much love into them," he says, "because this is a special moment."

Villegas Terrones' handiwork is but one example of the lengths to which Mexico has gone to demonstrate its enthusiasm for the Bush-Fox meeting. With Bush choosing Mexico for his first foreign policy visit outside the United States, the two leaders have an ambitious agenda: trade, immigration, drug trafficking, transportation, energy and the environment.

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