Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfouche has ruled out for the time being that organized crime is linked to the Miss Universe contest. This came after the announcement that the Public Prosecutor’s Office has been investigating for some time a network of fuel theft, weapons and drug smuggling, linked to businessman Raul Rocha Cantú, owner of the beauty pageant since last year.
“We have no indication that there is money from organized crime in the Miss Universe pageant, and we have no connection to the pageant itself with the related investigations,” Garcia Harvuch said Sunday at a press conference. The secretary confirmed that there are 13 arrest warrants in the case.
The arrest warrant, seen by El Pais, describes a network with connections in Guatemala, at Pemex’s Deer Park refinery, and with corrupt agents from the public prosecutor’s office. One piece of evidence in the conspiracy points to the purchase of 3,000 million liters of fuel from the Houston refinery, facilities purchased by the Mexican government during López Obrador’s six-year term, through a scheme known as financial huachicol, in which hydrocarbons cross Mexican customs and are classified as other type substances to avoid paying taxes.
Rocha Cantu allegedly contributed five million pesos to fund the scheme. The businessman owns a group of companies ranging from entertainment companies, gambling houses, aviation, industrial materials and real estate, as well as the distribution and transportation of hydrocarbons. Among his businesses is the Casino Royale in Monterrey, which was attacked in 2011 by Zetas members who set it on fire, killing 52 people. Last year, he chose to participate in the beauty pageant with his company Legacy Holding Group and acquired 50% of Miss Universe.
Rocha Cantu was in the spotlight after Mexican Fatima Bosch won the last edition of the competition two weeks ago. With questions about Bush’s victory, the relationship of the new beauty queen’s father, a director at Pemex, with the Mexican businessman was revealed. The domino effect worked against him.