▲ Emilio Lozoya during his detention in Spain, on February 12, 2020.Afp photo
Gustavo Castillo and Cesar Arellano
Newspaper La Jornada
Sunday March 12, 2023, p. 5
This Monday, the defense of the former director of Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), Emilio Lozoya Austin, accused of receiving bribes for 10.5 million dollars from Odebrecht, will question the legality of another 15 of the 68 tests with which the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) seeks that he be sentenced to 46 years in prison, after a federal judge has already determined that the Federal Public Ministry illegally obtained the financial reports of the transfers made by Swiss banks and also the receipts of deposits from the Brazilian company to companies facades constituted by the former Mexican official.
Meanwhile, prosecutors will challenge six tests with which it is intended to demonstrate the innocence of the former manager.
Tomorrow, during the continuation of the hearing corresponding to the intermediate stage of the criminal process, and in which the suitability of each of the evidence of guilt that the FGR will present and of innocence that Lozoya’s defense will offer will be analyzed, it will be the last opportunity for the former official to formalize an agreement with the Public Ministry and the representatives of Pemex and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) in order to be granted an opportunity criterion that allows him to withdraw the charges, accept a payment of 200 million pesos as reparation for the damage and become a collaborating witness.
Once federal judge Gerardo Genaro Alarcón López makes the declaration to open the trial, the possibility of Lozoya requesting to take advantage of an abbreviated trial will also have ended, which would allow him to plead guilty to the crimes charged against him and obtain a sentence. reduced.
On Friday, during the hearing held at the criminal justice center based in the Reclusorio Norte, Lozoya issued a statement in which he assured that he had complied with the FGR the terms to reach a reparation agreement and obtain an opportunity criterion.
He assured that, among the actions that the Federal Public Ministry has carried out based on his collaboration, there are various investigation folders, having brought former PAN senator Jorge Luis Lavalle to trial and the accusations against Carlos Alberto Treviño Morales, former director of Pemex, who is a fugitive from justice. Also, the arrest warrant against the deputy and former PAN national leader Ricardo Anaya.
In addition, he assured that he had the 200 million pesos that, supposedly, official experts have determined as the necessary amount to cover the repair of the damage that Pemex and the UIF demand.
