Current Mexican Border State Governor Faces Organized Crime Probe
Federal prosecutors in Mexico are targeting a border state governor in an organized crime investigation and are asking that nation’s legislature to strip his criminal immunity protections. Prosecutors also say they are reviewing money laundering and tax fraud allegations.
Federal prosecutors in a money-laundering task force from Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) filed a request with congressional leaders for hearings to remove criminal immunity and target Tamaulipas Governor Francisco Javier Cabeza de Vaca in connection with an investigation into organized criminal activity, money laundering, and tax fraud. The matter became public after Moises Ignacio Mier Velazco, a congressional leader with the MORENA Party, tweeted the document. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, February 25.
Hoy fui notificado que la @Mx_Diputados recibió la solicitud de declaratoria de procedencia en contra del gobernador de Tamaulipas Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca por la probable comisión de los delitos de delincuencia organizada y operaciones con recursos de procedencia ilícita pic.twitter.com/naMkIzDnuX
— Ignacio Mier Velazco (@NachoMierV) February 24, 2021
During a morning news conference, Mexico’s Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero claimed that the investigation was not political, though Cabeza de Vaca is one of the most vocal opponents to current president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
La petición de desafuero para investigar al Gobernador de Tamaulipas, Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca, no es una venganza ni tiene tintes políticos asegura el Fiscal Alejandro Gertz pic.twitter.com/EtQxnIR6S8
— Azucena Uresti (@azucenau) February 24, 2021
In response to the allegations, Cabeza de Vaca took to social media claiming he was the target of a political attack and that he was not notified of the matter but would fight the charges.
Morena filtra una supuesta acusación en mi contra. De nuevo el uso faccioso de la justicia donde no hay delito. Se orquesta una embestida política. Esperaré a ser notificado para tener detalles y fijar mi posición. Nunca he violado la ley. Me defenderé ante cualquier atropello.
— Fco. Cabeza de Vaca (@fgcabezadevaca) February 24, 2021
Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit previously revealed to news outlets that they had an open investigation into Cabeza de Vaca’s family on money laundering concerns. In August, the border state governor denied allegations of being tied to cartels during a news conference with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Cabeza de Vaca warned about playing politics with allegations of ties to organized crime because such “games” risked lives.
Aquí jugarle a la politiquería cuesta vidas, Señor Presidente.
Y ahora quieren desaforarlo y abrirle carpeta en la FGR.
Ajá, no son iguales.
Salieron mucho peores.— LuisCardenasMX (@LuisCardenasMx) February 24, 2021
Most recently, Cabeza de Vaca was tied to controversy after after a dozen state police officers murdered and incinerated Central American migrants in route to the Texas Border. The massacre is the latest of a series of allegations of police brutality and cooperation with cartels.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at .
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at .
