Mexican federal officers detained Mayor Diego Rivera on Thursday during coordinated raids that also led to the arrest of the municipality’s security director and the heads of public works and the land registry.
Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said the group ran a corruption scheme that targeted beer and tequila producers in Tequila, birthplace of the agave spirit and centre of a multi-billion-dollar industry.
Investigators said in December that Becle, the world’s largest tequila producer and owner of the Jose Cuervo label, had been among the companies affected.
The firm accused the mayor’s administration of imposing property taxes at up to 20 times the legal rate and issuing a fine exceeding 60 million pesos while withholding permits and attempting to close one of its plants.
State officials intervened, and the governor said at least 10 companies had filed complaints.
Becle did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while the Tequila Regulatory Council said it had no position on the case.
Officials allege Rivera’s network not only extorted businesses but also diverted public funds and collaborated with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, described by authorities as one of the most powerful and violent criminal organisations in the country.
Rivera had previously drawn scrutiny after images of the cartel’s fugitive leader, Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho”, were projected during a local concert.
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Thousands of fans turned out in Iran's capital Tehran for a massive farewell ceremony on Wednesday night for their national football team, wishing them success before their departure for the World Cup 2026 matches co-hosted by the United States and Mexico.
A Canadian woman has been shot dead and 13 others injured in a shooting at the Teotihuacan pyramids on Monday, one of Mexico’s most visited tourist attractions.
Communities in Mexico have taken to the streets to protest against an ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that has killed wildlife and damaged coral reefs over several weeks.
Two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid from Mexico arrived safely in Havana on Saturday, the Mexican Navy said, concluding a journey in which the vessels were delayed by bad weather and briefly reported missing.
The inaugural Enhanced Games began in Las Vegas on Sunday (24 May), launching one of the most controversial experiments in modern sport, in which athletes openly compete using performance-enhancing drugs banned under traditional anti-doping rules.
A peace agreement between Washington and Tehran is yet to materialise, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying that negotiations are incomplete and an Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman saying that a deal isn't imminent.
A "largely negotiated" memorandum of understanding on an Iran peace deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday, though the Iranian Fars news agency disputed that claim.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 25th May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The World Health Organization warned on Monday that the fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda was outpacing response efforts, with 220 suspected deaths reported so far.
FIFA has confirmed that Iran has moved its World Cup training base from the United States to Mexico, citing the ongoing war in the Middle East and related security concerns.
Doctors working on the front lines of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo say attacks on treatment centres and fleeing patients are hampering efforts to contain the virus.
Russia has warned foreign nationals to leave Kyiv, saying it has launched a new wave of strikes targeting Ukraine’s defence industry and military command infrastructure.
The World Health Organization warned on Monday that the fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda was outpacing response efforts, with 220 suspected deaths reported so far.
China has launched three taikonauts to its Tiangong space station, including one crew member set to spend a full year in orbit in one of the longest planned space missions ever attempted.
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