EFE.- A Canadian court This Thursday refused the request for release of Eduardo León Trauwitz, a Mexican general accused of fuel theftin his extradition trial, the Mexican Attorney General’s Office (FGR) reported on Thursday.
“The Court found that the high risk of absconding, the seriousness of the probable crimes committed in Mexico and thel Property damage caused to the Mexican Stateare sufficient elements to keep him imprisoned during his extradition procedure, ”detailed the prosecution in a press release.
The court that issued the decision was the Supreme Court of the Province of British Columbia based in Vancouver, Canada.
Lee: Pemex lost 94,017 million pesos when its pipelines were maintained by León Trauwitz
“Government of Canada support for Mexico is an example of international solidarity in the face of crime and impunity”, concludes the press release from the FGR.
On December 17, Canadian authorities arrested General Trauwitzwho was responsible for the security of Pemex in the previous government and is accused of fuel theft, known in Mexico as “huachicol”.
“At the request of the FGR, Mr. Eduardo “L” has just been arrested by the Canadian authorities, to begin his extradition procedure”, announced the public prosecutor’s office in a brief press release.
Trauwitz was accused by ser presuntamente “el protector del huachicol dentro de Pemex” during el Gobierno de Enrique Peña Nieto (2012-2018) together with a group of accomplices ya procesados que “encubrieron y protegieron” esta práctica desde el interior de la petrolera estatal mexican.
Mexico requested the general’s extradition on Nov. 12, 2019, which “enabled Canadian authorities to fully comply with the request, demonstrating the excellent bilateral relations with that country,” the prosecutor’s office said.
In 2019, a federal judge ordered the prosecution of three Pemex military personnel suspected of collaborating with criminal groups in the theft of hydrocarbons, who were later arrested.
The defendants were subordinates of General Eduardo León Trauwitz, who headed the Pemex Strategic Safeguards Sub-Directorate, specifically responsible for preventing fuel theft.
According to FGR investigations, this group of soldiers and others at Pemex collaborated with criminal groups to illegally steal fuel from the state oil company’s pipelines.
When President Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office in late 2018, he deployed the military to the Pemex pipelines to stop fuel theft.
The government of Mexico claims fuel theft has caused losses of 65,000 million pesos a year (about $3,400 million) across the country.
“Amateur introvert. Pop culture trailblazer. Incurable bacon aficionado.”
