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| Mexicans aghast as man notorious for leading bungled case named as spy chief | Mexicans aghast as man notorious for leading bungled case named as spy chief |
| (25 days later) | |
| Mexicans have expressed incredulity at the appointment of a former prosecutor to the country’s top intelligence position, even though he once oversaw a notorious nine-day search for a missing girl who was eventually found lying dead in her own bed. | Mexicans have expressed incredulity at the appointment of a former prosecutor to the country’s top intelligence position, even though he once oversaw a notorious nine-day search for a missing girl who was eventually found lying dead in her own bed. |
| Alberto Bazbaz, a close ally of President Enrique Peña Nieto, was named on Thursday as the new head of Mexico’s intelligence agency, Cisen, at a time when the country’s authorities are struggling to contain violent crime. | Alberto Bazbaz, a close ally of President Enrique Peña Nieto, was named on Thursday as the new head of Mexico’s intelligence agency, Cisen, at a time when the country’s authorities are struggling to contain violent crime. |
| Bazbaz previously led the finance ministry’s intelligence unit since shortly after Peña Nieto took office in December 2012. | Bazbaz previously led the finance ministry’s intelligence unit since shortly after Peña Nieto took office in December 2012. |
| But he is best known for overseeing the case of Paulette Gebara, a four-year-old who was reported missing from her family’s apartment in a Mexico City suburb in 2010. | But he is best known for overseeing the case of Paulette Gebara, a four-year-old who was reported missing from her family’s apartment in a Mexico City suburb in 2010. |
| Despite extensive searches and a media coverage, investigators found no trace of the girl for nine days, when her decomposing body was found in her own bed – even though the room had supposedly been sealed by police. | Despite extensive searches and a media coverage, investigators found no trace of the girl for nine days, when her decomposing body was found in her own bed – even though the room had supposedly been sealed by police. |
| At the time, Peña Nieto was the governor of the state of Mexico, (which surrounds the national capital on three sides), and Bazbaz was the region’s attorney general. | At the time, Peña Nieto was the governor of the state of Mexico, (which surrounds the national capital on three sides), and Bazbaz was the region’s attorney general. |
| Bazbaz resigned amid outrage over the bungled investigation, and a subsequent investigation concluded that Paulette died accidentally of asphyxiation. | Bazbaz resigned amid outrage over the bungled investigation, and a subsequent investigation concluded that Paulette died accidentally of asphyxiation. |
| Analysts say that during Bazbaz’s leadership of the financial intelligence unit, Mexico failed to make progress tracking down the fortunes of the country’s drug cartels. | Analysts say that during Bazbaz’s leadership of the financial intelligence unit, Mexico failed to make progress tracking down the fortunes of the country’s drug cartels. |
| His appointment to Cisen comes less than six months before presidential elections. | His appointment to Cisen comes less than six months before presidential elections. |
| The switch in leadership at Cisen – which is part of the interior ministry – follows the resignation of the interior minister, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, who stepped aside on Wednesday to seek a senate seat. He left after an especially violent 2017 – which is set to be the country’s most murderous in recent memory. | The switch in leadership at Cisen – which is part of the interior ministry – follows the resignation of the interior minister, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, who stepped aside on Wednesday to seek a senate seat. He left after an especially violent 2017 – which is set to be the country’s most murderous in recent memory. |
| Political observers said that Bazbaz’s appointment owed more to his links with Peña Nieto’s inner circle than his skills as a law enforcement official. | Political observers said that Bazbaz’s appointment owed more to his links with Peña Nieto’s inner circle than his skills as a law enforcement official. |
| “The question here is not what is your area of expertise, but what [political] group do you belong to,” said Carlos Bravo Regidor, professor at the Centre for Teaching and Research in Economics. “If you have some relevant experience, that’s great, but it’s not a prerequisite for the job.” | “The question here is not what is your area of expertise, but what [political] group do you belong to,” said Carlos Bravo Regidor, professor at the Centre for Teaching and Research in Economics. “If you have some relevant experience, that’s great, but it’s not a prerequisite for the job.” |