Ex-Pemex executive in pre-trial detention

ASpanish judge placed a top former Mexican oil executive in pre-trial detention following an extradition request linked to the vast Odebrecht corruption scandal that has engulfed much of Latin America.

Emilio Lozoya, who served as chief executive of the Pemex state oil company between 20122016, was arrested on Wednesday near the coastal city of Malaga in southern Spain, police said.

Lozoya is wanted in Mexico for allegedly accepting millions of dollars in bribes from Brazil’s Odebrecht, a vast construction company accused of paying almost a billion to politicians across Latin America to win lucrative contracts.

In a brief statement, Spain’s National Court said it had “placed the former head of Mexican state oil company Pemex in pre-trial detention following an extradition request from Mexico over transactions involving illegallysourced funds, which in Spain amounts to money laundering”.

If convicted in Mexico, he could face up to 15 years behind bars, court documents show.

Lozoya was arrested while travelling in a taxi and found to be carrying a false driving licence which suggested “an intention to flee justice”, the judge said in explaining his decision to place him in pre-trial detention.

Mexico now has 45 days to formalise its request for the extradition of Lozoya, a former aide to Enrique Pena Nieto who served as Mexican president from 2012-2018.

It is the first time a top-level Mexican executive has been arrested in connection with the massive Odebrecht scandal which has felled a string of big names in Latin American politics and industry.

Among the casualties are expresidents and top officials in countries including Brazil, Peru and Colombia, but there have been no arrests or prosecutions so far in Mexico.

In 2017, Lozoya was summoned to appear before Mexican prosecutors to answer allegations he took $10mn in bribes from Odebrecht to award the firm juicy contracts.