Mexican Federal Deputy Mauricio Toledo. Photo: Google

By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS

Mexican Labor Party Deputy Mauricio Toledo just can’t seem to dodge the bullets that keep being hurdled at him for alleged illicit enrichment and other criminal charges.

Toledo, who took office in 2018 as part of the majority party National Regeneration Movement’s (Morena) leftist coalition, is currently being investigated by the Attorney General’s Office of Mexico City, as well as the Treasury Secretariat, for possession of inexplicable assets in the form of unexplained purchases last year of two 6 million peso apartments when his declared annual income is just over 1 million pesos.

And while Toledo has been busy trying to justify the purchase of these two apartments, as well as to shield himself from potential prosecution under public servant immunity laws, now it seems he has even more financial explaining to do.

This week, the Treasury’s Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) revealed that it had discovered a “network of seven alleged front men” who had allowed Toledo to carry out the purchase of at least 12 additional real estate properties, including a 17 million peso mansion in Mexico City’s posh Colonia Jardines de Pedregal.

The Financial Intelligence Unit is also investigating Toledo’s parents, Nelson Asdrúbal Toledo and Clementina Rosa Gutiérrez, as possible front men, since no annual tax returns were registered by them in 2020, although their apparent assets have increased dramatically.

According to the FIU, Toledo’s father earned less than 750,000 pesos annually in 2018 and 2019, but his wife, with an annual income of 1.1 million pesos, somehow managed to come up with 3.5 million pesos to buy a new home.

Meanwhile, Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies is trying to impeach Toledo, which would eliminate any immunity from persecution.

Toledo has denied all charges against him and has said that he is a victim of persecution by Mexico’s justice department.