The Prosecutor's Office puts Santiago Nieto in the spotlight and involves his wife in a patrimonial investigation

The Counselor of the National Electoral Institute, Carla Humphrey and the former head of the Financial Investigation Unit, Santiago NietoRR.

H.H.

The Office of the Attorney General of the Republic opened in December an investigation into the former head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) of the Ministry of Finance, Santiago Nieto, and his wife, the counselor of the National Electoral Institute Carla Humphrey. The Federal Ministerial Police requested from the Ministry of Public Function, the government agency in charge of supervising the actions of officials, patrimonial information of the former head of the Executive's anti-corruption fight and extended its requirements to its narrower family nucleus. Nieto was singled out a month ago for buying real estate and a luxury car that may suggest illicit enrichment. He defended himself by stating that the only thing that increased are his debts, but the investigations of the Prosecutor's Office confirm that the agency,Directed by one of his rivals in the fourth transformation, Alejandro Gertz, has him under the microscope.

The official letter, sent on December 20 to the Ministry of Public Administration by order of the Public Ministry Emma Vázquez Martínez, asks to act “urgently and confidentially so that within 48 hours, in order to carry out a search exhaustive in its databases and files that its dependency has, in order to verify if it has address records and / or any other information on behalf of the following people: Santiago Nieto Castillo and Carla Astrid Humphrey Jordan ”.

The document, advanced by

clarifies that all the data collected will make up the investigation folder and urges to send them to the offices of the Federal Ministerial Police located on Avenida Casa de la Moneda "in order to expedite the investigations required by the Accusatory Penal System."

Nieto, until last November one of Andrés Manuel López Obrador's henchmen had to resign amid the controversy over his wedding with Humphrey held in Guatemala, precisely after the Prosecutor's Office opened a file for the discovery of $ 35,000 undeclared on a private plane. The president suggested that the Ministry of Public Administration could take charge of clarifying the case. “He has been explaining that they were credits and it would be better if it was formally clarified. I think it was for credits, but since he was in office fighting corruption ... ", he said when the accusations were known.

This Friday he stressed that it is "a matter that has to do with the Prosecutor's Office." “Just as I have confidence in the prosecutor, Alejandro Gertz Manero, and Santiago Nieto, and they are surely processes that have to vent. If there is a complaint, some steps have to be taken, but that does not mean that the accused is guilty and in this case I do not believe that Santiago is involved in acts of corruption or any act of abuse of authority, "said the president during the conference of morning press.

In December, a journalistic investigation also pointed out to the attorney general the alleged acquisition of 122 cars, according to a file from the FIU. The crossing of accusations fueled speculation about the anger between two of the most symbolic figures of the Fourth Transformation, which had always been an open secret. López Obrador has always avoided speaking out openly about it and this Friday he drew a question with a reflection on human nature. “Fortunately, all human beings are different. The human condition is very plural, diverse, in governments there are always differences, they can even face public servants ”, he justified.

The president, who has made the fight against corruption a central axis of his mandate, usually speaks out bluntly on judicial matters, sometimes leading the way for investigations.

In this case, he has flatly denied having instructed the Prosecutor's Office to open a folder against Nieto and his wife.

He assured it already last week when asked about it.

“The only recommendation goes in the sense that, if they know something or have received information, they should proceed [...].

I have not ordered anyone to be investigated since I was president ”.

This Friday he again showed confidence in the rectitude of the former head of the FIU.

Meanwhile, the agency tightens the fence around the former official.

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