A former high-ranking official from Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s party was arrested as part of a corruption investigation in the northern state of Chihuahua, the state’s governor said.
Alejandro Gutierrez, who was the adjunct secretary to the presidency of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), was arrested Wednesday in a joint operation between state and federal police, Chihuahua Governor Javier Corral wrote in a post on Facebook.
The arrest extends a streak of corruption allegations that have dogged the PRI, which has seen four former governors arrested on such charges this year, according to a Reuters report.
Mexico’s entrenched corruption is expected to be a key issue as voters head to the polls for the next presidential election in 2018.
This week, Mexican newspaper Reforma published stories on an alleged Chihuahua corruption scheme to funnel 250 million pesos into the PRI’s campaign fund through avenues such as fake contracts for workshops for parents and expensive software.
The stories were based on testimony to prosecutors from former state finance minister Jaime Herrera which was obtained by the newspaper.
Gutierrez’ arrest took place in Coahuila. This week, he rejected allegations against him in an interview with Mexican newspaper Vanguardia. He said he was considering suing for defamation.
Corral, of the conservative opposition National Action Party, described Gutierrez’ arrest as part of an effort to clean up the corruption of his PRI predecessor’s tenure.
In March, a Mexican judge issued an arrest warrant for ex-governor Duarte on suspicion of embezzlement. Corral has said he is a fugitive from justice.
A spokesman for the PRI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The PRI were routed in 2016 regional elections, losing several of their bastions including the states of Veracruz, Tamaulipas and Quintana Roo as voters showed their discontent over a series of graft scandals.
