MEXICO.- Mexican newspaper "Reforma" released information today in relation to a lawsuit against central members of the presidential campaign team for Enrique Peña Nieto presented by José Luis Ponce de Aquino, Mexican-American businessman on the 7th of June.

Defendants are Luis Videgaray, Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign; Roberto Calleja, PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) Spokesman; Erwin Lino, Enrique Peña's Personal Assistant and David López, Director of Social Communication. Also accused are Mexican executives Hugo Vigues and Pepe Carillo Chontkowsky.

José Luis Ponce de Aquino went to renowned journalist Carmen Aristegui's radio show to speak about it. He told how he was threatened by Hugo Vigues a couple of days before he filed the lawsuit and that Vigues himself admitted that the money to be used in the election campaign came from drug traffickers.

Ponce de Aquino had been hired by Alejandro Carillo Garza Sada, partner of the Jiramos Company. A contract was signed for 56 million dollars that were supposed to be paid in exchange for a media campaign in support of Enrique Peña Nieto but the money never came.

Reforma's article, penned by Anabel Hernández, states as follows:

"According to the dispute, presented in June the 7th, the supposed fraud consisted in misleading businessman Ponce de Aquino, owner of FTN, as well as deceiving companies Ve Más Tv, KZSW TV and Intelimedia S. A. de CV. into believing he was to gain millions designing a media campaign supporting Peña Nieto through billboards, magazine, radio, television and internet ads using his infrastructure and connections in the United States. The campaign never came to be despite the contracts guaranteeing the project having been signed. Nevertheless, according to the lawsuit, Jiramos accepted the 56 million dollars which were then divided amongst the defendants".

The accuser also presented the corresponding complaint to the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration); the agency is already investigating.

One of the fears of Ponce de Aquino is that there are signed contracts that probably were used to cash the 56 million dollars and also, that if the money comes from criminal organizations he doesn't want to be involved with them

Just a few days ago the New York Times had published an article regarding the concern that Enrique Peña Nieto being the favorite presidential candidate to electors raised in American leaders. Aside from his proposals, the party he's representing (PRI), has a history of associations between its members (some of them former Mexican governing officials at city, state and national level) and drug dealers.

Media promotion supporting Peña Nieto aren't much of a shock after British newspaper "The Guardian" revealed documents allegedly proving a campaign by Televisa enhancing his image since he was the governor of the State of Mexico back in 2005 thus presenting him as the best candidate for Mexican Presidency. The same campaign also took care of giving a bad name to left wing candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador who has the 2nd place in opinion polls at the moment.

Mexican elections are to be held on the 1st of July.

editorial@sandiegored.com

Original Text : SanDiegoRed.com

Translation : Karen Balderas Licea