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Haughty evasion of justice by central Pemexgate figure Deschamps exposes problems with Mexican legal system
At the beginning of September, it looked like oil workers' union chief Carlos Romero Deschamps' time had run out. As his three-year term as a federal deputy ended, so did the immunity from prosecution conferred on him as a member of Congress. Deschamps stands accused of playing a central role in the so-called Pemexgate scandal-the alleged siphoning of hundreds of millions of pesos from the state-owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), through the oil workers union, and into the coffers of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).
In late September, federal Judge Jose Luis Moya issued the first arrest warrant for Deschamps to face charges of embezzlement. Deschamps had maintained a low profile after leaving office, and rumors flew in the local press that he had fled the country. When the arrest warrant was issued, federal agents began watching the nation's airports to prevent his flight.
But Deschamps has so far managed to avoid the inside of a jail cell through legal maneuvers. His lawyers have kept him free by turning to a type of injunction, known as an amparo, that can be used to block arrest. His legal team anticipates that he eventually will face trial, and they are confident he will beat the rap.
Deschamps could face up to 12 years in prison if convicted of embezzlement. But in Mexico, embezzlement is not considered a felony, and even if found guilty, Deschamps could walk free by paying only a fine. As a board member of Banorte who is rumored to have amassed a considerable personal fortune, Deschamps should have no trouble paying his way out of this mess.
MANY HANDS IN COOKIE JAR
Besides Deschamps, 11 other officials from Pemex, the union and the PRI finance committee face charges, including Sen. Ricardo Aldana, also the union treasurer, and then-Pemex director and former Coahuila Gov. Rogelio Montemayor. Since the case involved so many high-level PRI officials, it rapidly became politicized and disrupted relations between Fox's National Action Party (PAN) and the PRI in Congress.
"Pemexgate generated a lot of tension between a government taking power and a government thrown out of office," said Carlos Ugalde, a political analyst with...