Where is Javier Duarte?
One day after it was made known that a judge issued an arrest warrant against him, the location of Javier Duarte remains unknown. Duarte is the politician who last week resigned the governorship of Veracruz, following accusations of alleged corruption in his administration, including the use of ghost companies.
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The newscast of Denise Maerker of Televisa reported that Duarte is charged with the offenses of organized crime and operations with illegal proceeds, following a complaint lodged by the Ministry of State.
Miguel Angel Yunes, who will be the next governor of Veracruz, charged that Duarte had escaped last Saturday, using a helicopter, and with the help of the man who remained as acting governor, Flavino Rios.
"There are a number of versions, from two or three days ago, in the sense that he escaped in a helicopter owned by the state government, a helicopter usually used the state attorney general, he left for ... some say it was Puebla, when he went to Coatzacoalcos and then flew to Ciudad Juarez, ie, there are different versions, which cannot endorse or certify,” he said to Radio Formula.
"The truth is we do not know where he is," he added.
The acting governor, Flavino Rios, denied Tuesday in an interview with the same radio network that he had helped Duarte escape, as Yunes said.
“It’s completely false, although I asked the Secretary of Infrastructure and Public Works, which oversees the management of Air Services and civil aviation, which made available upon request, especially from the competent authority, the air transport logbooks flights from Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, to the government of Veracruz, to clarify what needs to be clarified,” said Rios.
“In that way we will always cooperate with all authorities. Whoever is responsible will have to assume responsibility, but the governor of Veracruz, Flavino Rios, gave no authorization for air transport is used,” he added.
Rios said that in any case they are investigating whether any official vehicle was used and that they would release a report on the matter, if confirmed.
Tuesday October 18 in the wake of the Televisa newscast, the version that Duarte might have escaped in a Robinson helicopter, allegedly owned by a person named Juan Carlos Molina, leader of the National Peasant Confederation was given.
The helicopter, indicated in the newscast, would have landed near the state of Puebla. From that point, Duarte would have moved overland to a house in the area of Desierto de los Leones in the capital.
Last week, Duarte gave an interview with journalist Carlos Loret de Mola, in which he announced that he would ask permission to leave the governorship of Veracruz.
It was one of his last public appearances.
That day insisted he was innocent, he had not stolen public funds, and had a clear conscience.
He also mentioned that he would not flee, but would remain in Xalapa to face the charges against him.
On Duarte’s Twitter account, the last message is last Oct. 13, offering congratulations to his friend Flavino Rios, on his appointment as interim governor. (AnimalPolitico)