Lydia Cacho on the arrest of Greg: ‘What took you so long?’

Columnist (and longtime Cancún resident) Lydia Cacho writes:

“For those of us who have been documenting for years the construction of a narco-state in the southeast, the surprise is not the arrest of [PRD gubernatorial candidate Gregorio] Sánchez but the delay in doing so. His name appeared in SIEDO investigative files since … March 2008…. The PRD is ignoring the monumental damage they are causing to Quintana Roo through their refusal to look at the facts.” (Universal 5/31)

Government arrests PRD candidate for governor of Quintana Roo on drug charges

The Justice Ministry (PGR) arrested Gregorio “Greg” Sánchez, the PRD-PT-Convergencia candidate for governor of the state of Quintana Roo.  Sánchez is the mayor of Cancún, and was charged with violation of drug laws, racketeering, and use of illicit funds. PGR sources said he was linked to the Los Zetas paramilitary gang and the Beltrán Leyva cartel.  His administration has been under suspicion at least since the kidnapping and murder of General Mauro Enrique Tello in February 2009. PRD Senate leader Carlos Navarrette angrily denounced the arrest in a press conference as a political provocation. “As president of the Senate, I consider it completely unacceptable to use the PGR for purely electoral and political ends….This situation will have an enormous cost for democracy in Mexico,” he said.   (Universal 5/26, Reforma 5/26)