A judge orders the arrest of a sister of the former director of Pemex Emilio Lozoya

The former director of Pemez Emilio Lozoya, in a file image.Adolfo Vladimir / Adolfo Vladimir

A judge issued a new arrest warrant against the younger sister of the former director of Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) Emilio Lozoya, Gilda Susana Lozoya, according to Mexican media.

The order is for alleged money laundering in the purchase of Agronitrogenados, a fertilizer plant acquired at a premium by the state oil company in January 2014. In early October, a court in Mexico City annulled another arrest warrant against Gilda Susana for lacking foundation and motivation.

The second order was issued on October 29 at the request of the Attorney General's Office (FGR).

The sister of the former Pemex director is allegedly linked to the acquisition of Agronitrogenados, a company that had not been operating for 14 years when it was acquired by Pemex and with 30-year-old equipment.

Lozoya, who was in charge of the oil parastate during the first years of Enrique Peña Nieto's administration (2012-2018), defended the purchase because of the great importance it would have for the company and because the production of fertilizers was essential for the Government.

The authorities believe that the Agronitrogenados case links Lozoya, who has used the criterion of opportunity to become a collaborator of justice, with Altos Hornos de México (Ahmsa) for an exchange of favors.

Between June and November 2012, before Peña Nieto came to power, Altos Hornos accounts transferred three million dollars in various movements to an account in the name of Tochos Holding Limited, located in Switzerland, whose beneficiary is Gilda Susana Lozoya, who was a student at the time.

That money was used, according to the public ministry, for Lozoya to buy a 1,165-meter house at the end of 2012.

The Prosecutor's Office assures that the former general director of Pemex did not pay the house to hide the origin of the resources.

These, instead, were triangulated through Tochos Holding from Geneva.

On May 25, 2019, the FGR ordered the arrest of Lozoya and his sister Gilda, among others.

Soon after, Interpol issued a red token for his capture.

Lozoya was arrested in an urbanization near Marbella, on the coast of Spain, and extradited last July to Mexico, where he is accused of corruption and remains in house arrest.