Several top officials from Mexico resigned their positions following a scandal about a luxurious private wedding in Guatemala. Some departures came after Mexico’s President called out the excesses and the use of private planes.
The incident revolved around the wedding of Santiago Nieto, the former head of Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit, and Carla Humphrey, an advisor to Mexico’s Electoral Institute. The couple held their private event in Guatemala, where several top-level politicians, business leaders, and heads of news outlets were in attendance.
While officials worked to keep the event private, the case became public after an alleged cash smuggling attempt that got the attention of Guatemalan authorities. That incident took place when rumors began circulating that Paola Felix Diaz, the secretary of tourism for Mexico City, was detained in Guatemala with $25,000 USD while getting off a private plane. Information at the time also pointed to Alejandro Gou, a famed theater director also being a passenger on that plane.
Hours later, Felix Diaz sent out a message on social media claiming that she had not been detained, but she submitted her resignation all the same.
Me encuentro en Guatemala en un evento social al que fui invitada. Viajé en un vuelo privado, es falso que haya sido detenida y es falso que el vuelo lo pagó un proveedor, No he cometido ninguna actividad ilícita pero he decidido poner a disposición de @Claudiashein mi renuncia.
— Paola Félix Díaz (@LaraPaola1) November 6, 2021
According to public statements printed by the head of El Universal Newspaper, the money was his and it was for a medical procedure in Los Angeles–where he was going to fly to after the wedding. Felix Diaz was a passenger on the plane; the money had not been declared to Guatemalan authorities.
Alejandro Gou’s brother Enrique, who is the head of Cultural Affairs for the municipality of Cuauhtemoc in Mexico City, also resigned. It remains unclear if his brother’s role in the scandal was the factor behind his resignation.
Más renuncias por boda escandalosa: Enrique Gou deja su cargo en Alcaldía Cuauhtémoc https://t.co/6z28wFJ8i6
— AlejandroPáezVarela (@paezvarela) November 9, 2021
By Monday morning, Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador criticized the wedding claiming that luxuries and lavish lifestyles were not in accordance with his political views. By Monday evening, Santiago Nieto submitted his resignation and claimed he was loyal to Lopez Obrador.
Antes de que pudiera afectarse al proyecto, por las críticas derivadas de actos de terceros relacionados con un evento personal y transparente, preferí presentar mi renuncia como titular de la #UIF. Mi lealtad es con el Presidente @lopezobrador_. Mi amor para @C_Humphrey_J.
— Santiago Nieto (@SNietoCastillo) November 9, 2021
During his term as head of the UIF, Nieto was seen as a loyal follower of Lopez Obrador who spearheaded investigations into the financial crimes of his rivals. Some of the investigations included the current governor of Nuevo Leon, Samuel Garcia, over the use of illicit funds in his campaign. Nieto also led the investigation into Tamaulipas Governor Francisco Cabeza de Vaca, alleging money laundering activities.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
L.P. Contreras from Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project contributed to this report.
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