Mexico federal prosecutors take on Chihuahua corruption case

Current Chihuahua Gov. Javier Corral, a member of an opposition party, has accused Duarte of diverting public money to the 2016 electoral campaign of President Enrique Pena Nieto’s Institutional Revolutionary Party. (Photo by Eduardo Burciaga – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s top electoral crimes prosecutor said Monday that federal officials will take over the investigation into a former governor who allegedly channeled state funds to the ruling party.

Hector Diaz-Santana said he expects Chihuahua state officials to turn over case files related to Cesar Duarte, the former governor of the northern border state.

Current Chihuahua Gov. Javier Corral, a member of an opposition party, has accused Duarte of diverting public money to the 2016 electoral campaign of President Enrique Pena Nieto’s Institutional Revolutionary Party.

Corral has also accused officials of dragging their feet on the case and has staged a series of marches to demand prosecution and force the federal government to pay money it has promised the state.

Later Monday, Corral alleged that federal crimes prosecutors are out to hamstring the investigation by taking it under their control.

The case “shows how far the government of (Pena Nieto) is capable of going to maintain the (hashtag)PactOfImpunity,” Corral tweeted. “The pretension of (electoral crimes prosecutors) to take over the judicial processes against Cesar Duarte’s corruption can be achieved only by trampling the law and in total cynicism.”

Federal prosecutors have filed extradition requests for Duarte, who is believed to be in the United States.