Acting Veracruz Governor Flavino Ríos Alvarado said Tuesday that he did not know the whereabouts of former governor Javier Duarte de Ochoa, and denied accusations that he had made any kind of state-owned air transportation available in order to help Duarte flee.
The acting governor added that he has no authority over the state’s air transportation management, as it is the sole responsibility of the Secretariat of Infrastructure and Public Works.
Ríos Alvarado was appointed acting governor by the Congress of Veracruz to serve during the remaining 48 days of Duarte de Ochoa’s tenure after the latter resigned in the midst of a corruption scandal.
Seré un Gobernador cercano a la gente, consciente de su tarea, y con un gran respeto y valor por #Veracruz
— Flavino Rios (@flavino_rios) October 13, 2016
“As governor I will be close to the people and aware of my duties, with great respect and pride for #Veracruz” tweeted Ríos.
Senators from Duarte de Ochoa’s Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the National Action Party (PAN) demanded the government locate the former governor immediately and bring him before a court to answer to the many charges against him, which include tax fraud, money laundering and involvement in organized crime.
President of the Anti-Corruption Commission and PRI member Héctor Yunes Landa stated that in order to apprehend Duarte de Ochoa, he must first be stripped of his immunity.
Yunes Landa added that the former governor must return the money taken from public funds.