Following Mexican attorney general Arturo Chávez‘s resignation in April, the attorney general’s office (Prosecutor General of the Republic—PGR) charged 111 officials who served under him with corruption on July 21. Sixty-seven were charged with fraud while others were charged with varying offenses including falsifying documents, theft, interfering with administration of justice, misusing public service, abuse of power, lying in court, bribery, embezzlement and forgery. Twenty-six were issued arrest warrants. On July 22, new attorney general Marisela Morales also fired 140 police officers and released that 280 more under investigation within the organization. Of those fired, several were charged with having connections to organized crime, murder, robbery and extortion, while seven were fired due to convictions on kidnapping, murder and extortion charges, all stemming from Mexico’s rampant drug trade problem.
From Jurist, July 22. Used with permission.
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Mexico: purge of Prosecutor General’s office escalates
Federal prosecutors in 21 of Mexico’s 31 states and the Federal District resigned en masse Aug. 2, but Prosecutor General Marisela Morales offered no explanation. It remains unclear whether they were forced out or were quitting in rebellion over Morales’ recent purge of the agency. (LAT, UPI, Aug. 2)