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| Ex-Mexico state governor Javier Duarte missing amid corruption investigations | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Prosecutors in Mexico are attempting to detain one of the country’s most reviled politicians, who has gone missing amid accusations that he misappropriated public funds. | Prosecutors in Mexico are attempting to detain one of the country’s most reviled politicians, who has gone missing amid accusations that he misappropriated public funds. |
| Javier Duarte, the former governor of Veracruz state, requested leave from his office earlier this month after the federal attorney general’s office announced that it was taking over two corruption investigations involving the outgoing governor. | Javier Duarte, the former governor of Veracruz state, requested leave from his office earlier this month after the federal attorney general’s office announced that it was taking over two corruption investigations involving the outgoing governor. |
| Duarte and others were under investigation for illegal enrichment, embezzlement and breach of duty. He has consistently claimed his innocence. | Duarte and others were under investigation for illegal enrichment, embezzlement and breach of duty. He has consistently claimed his innocence. |
| The interior minister, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, told Radio Fórmula on Wednesday that officials are not sure where Duarte is, but believe he is still in the country. | The interior minister, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, told Radio Fórmula on Wednesday that officials are not sure where Duarte is, but believe he is still in the country. |
| He added that federal prosecutors were preparing an international arrest warrant from Interpol if Duarte is found to have left Mexico. | He added that federal prosecutors were preparing an international arrest warrant from Interpol if Duarte is found to have left Mexico. |
| “Security agencies are working to locate him,” he said. | “Security agencies are working to locate him,” he said. |
| At the weekend, incoming governor Miguel Ángel Yunes, who takes office on 1 December, told reporters Duarte might have used a government helicopter to flee the gulf coast state. | At the weekend, incoming governor Miguel Ángel Yunes, who takes office on 1 December, told reporters Duarte might have used a government helicopter to flee the gulf coast state. |
| Duarte took office in December 2010, but soon became a political pariah amid soaring crime, and accusations of financial mismanagement and corruption. | Duarte took office in December 2010, but soon became a political pariah amid soaring crime, and accusations of financial mismanagement and corruption. |
| During his administration, 19 journalists were killed in Veracruz, prompting press freedom organizations to describe the state as the most dangerous place for journalists to work in the hemisphere. | During his administration, 19 journalists were killed in Veracruz, prompting press freedom organizations to describe the state as the most dangerous place for journalists to work in the hemisphere. |
| An exposé by the online news organization Animal Político revealed state officials in Veracruz had diverted some 645m pesos (£28m) into shell companies. | An exposé by the online news organization Animal Político revealed state officials in Veracruz had diverted some 645m pesos (£28m) into shell companies. |
| Other journalistic investigations have found Veracruz functionaries purchased properties in the United States, far out of the reach of a public servant’s salary. | Other journalistic investigations have found Veracruz functionaries purchased properties in the United States, far out of the reach of a public servant’s salary. |
| President Enrique Peña Nieto had previously praised Duarte an example of the new generation of leaders emerging in the PRI. But eventually the steady stream of negative press coverage prompted the PRI to suspend Duarte’s party privileges. | President Enrique Peña Nieto had previously praised Duarte an example of the new generation of leaders emerging in the PRI. But eventually the steady stream of negative press coverage prompted the PRI to suspend Duarte’s party privileges. |
| His suspension came after the party lost seven of 12 states holding gubernatorial elections in June – including Veracruz, where the opposition ended 86 years of PRI rule in part by promising to imprison Duarte. | His suspension came after the party lost seven of 12 states holding gubernatorial elections in June – including Veracruz, where the opposition ended 86 years of PRI rule in part by promising to imprison Duarte. |
| “The PRI needed to appear like it was taking measures to distance itself from corruption,” said journalist Javier Garza Ramos. “The case of Veracruz became unsustainable and Javier Duarte turned into a symbol of one of the PRI’s biggest liabilities, which is corruption.” | “The PRI needed to appear like it was taking measures to distance itself from corruption,” said journalist Javier Garza Ramos. “The case of Veracruz became unsustainable and Javier Duarte turned into a symbol of one of the PRI’s biggest liabilities, which is corruption.” |