MEXICO.-There's a new chapter in the Mexican "White House" scandal, according to a report published on Thursday evening by The Wall Street Journal, which uncovered a new link between the Mexican government and the controversial contractor that financed Angelica Rivera's mansion in Las Lomas, Mexico City. This time, it's about a property acquired in 2012 by one of President Enrique Peña Nieto's cabinet members: Finance Minister, Luis Videgaray Caso.

The Minister bought a 5,000 square feet house located in Malinalco Golf club, State of Mexico, through the same contractor that the mud-racking team from "Aristegui Noticias" reported in November was a "lucky" recipient of huge government projects under both Peña Nieto's governorship and current presidency.

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"What's unusual of this transaction", as it was pointed out by WSJ, was that Mr. Videgaray also took out a mortgage with Juan Armando Hinojosa's small firm rather than a financial institution, borrowing $532,000 dollars, records show. Even though he had an 18 year financial deadline, the Minister payed the exorbitant amount a year later after the settlement agreement.

The press has assumed this is a case of corruption. First lady Angelica Rivera denied the allegations of corruption in her "white house" case, and even explained her incomes to show she had enough money form her long acting career and that she and her husband kept separate assets. However, after revealing Videgaray's purchase from Grupo Higa, it would be hard to deny the existence of a link between both parts. Those who are part of President Peña Nieto's inner circle and those associated with the contractor of plump dollar State infrastructure projects.

"There was no conflict of interest. I did the deal when I was not holding public office, and the deal was within market parameters", explained the Minister, saying that said property was settled in January and that it did appeared in its wealth statement. What does not appeared, as Videgaray warned, its the funding he used to acquire it.

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zyanya.figueroa@sandiegored.com