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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Mexico said it will stop sending oil to Cuba as U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the Caribbean nation.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico does not want to face U.S. tariffs, but will still look for ways to support Cuba through diplomatic channels.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 3rd of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico early on Friday, killing at least two people and causing damage in Guerrero state.
Rivers and reservoirs across Spain and Portugal were on the verge of overflowing on Wednesday as a new weather front pounded the Iberian peninsula, compounding damage from last week's Storm Kristin.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled a new underground ballistic missile base on Wednesday (4 February), just over a day before the start of mediated nuclear negotiations with the United States, slated for Friday in Oman.
Morocco has evacuated more than 100,000 people from four provinces after heavy rainfall triggered flash floods across several northern regions, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Tuesday (3 February) of exploiting a U.S.-backed energy ceasefire to stockpile weapons and launch large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine ahead of peace talks.
A second group of Palestinians receiving medical treatment arrived in Egypt from Gaza via the Rafah border crossing on Tuesday (3 February).
Russian troops in Ukraine have lost access to Starlink internet terminals after Kyiv and SpaceX moved to block unauthorised Russian use, a disruption Ukrainian officials described as a major blow to Moscow’s battlefield operations.
U.S. President Donald Trump says he will not support extending the New START nuclear arms control treaty and wants a new, “improved and modernised” agreement, even as Russia expresses regret over the pact’s expiration and warns of the dangers of an unconstrained nuclear arms race.
Georgia and the United States have held a rare high-level meeting in Washington, reopening cautious discussion about relations after years of political stagnation.
A London court has sentenced Russian captain Vladimir Motin to six years in prison for gross negligence over a 2025 ship collision that killed Filipino crew member Mark Pernia, whose body was never found.
In recent years, Abu Dhabi has emerged as a venue for high-stakes diplomacy, hosting sensitive talks on conflicts ranging from Ukraine-Russia to Armenia-Azerbaijan, as the United Arab Emirates positions itself as a neutral platform amid deepening global divisions.
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