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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | June 2006 
Video Footage Submitted by Ahumada´s Wife is of No Use
 El Universal
| | Cecilia Gurza, the wife of jailed businessman Carlos Ahumada talks on her cell phone outside of her house in Mexico City June 6, 2006. (Stringer/Reuters) |
A security camera video provided by Cecilia Gurza that she insists is a recording of the incident in which she was targeted was probably recorded after the shooting took place, capital authorities said on Thursday.
The announcement was the latest twist in the attack on Gurza, the wife of jailed businessman Carlos Ahumada, whose armored SUV was fired upon Tuesday morning, just hours before she was set to unveil videos she says are damaging to the Mexico City government.
"They gave us a very blurry video," said capital Attorney General Bernardo Bátiz. "It seems like it was recorded after the fact."
He said people could be seen walking on the street, but the shooting is not on the tape.
Adding to confusion over the case was the status of three of the family´s employees who had been detained on Wednesday by capital prosecutors.
Mexico City Mayor Alejandro Encinas denied the three employees, two of whom have now been released, are suspects in the case, as was reported Thursday morning by local press.
Victor Cortés, Gurza´s chauffeur who was allegedly driving the family´s vehicle when the attack occurred, remains in police custody, but only as a witness, Encinas said.
Prosecutors have questioned testimony offered by Cortés and Gurza, saying there were a number of inconsistencies.
Politicians from the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), which runs the capital government, have said they believe the attack was staged, and have suggested it was a trick in a long-running effort by Ahumada to damage the party.
Gurza had pledged to release videos showing PRD members engaging in acts of corruption on Tuesday. Following the shooting, she said she was too frightened to release them. PRD officials have denied any damaging videos exist, and have called on Gurza to release the videos.
The videos would be only the latest in a string that were leaked to the press in 2004 in what the local press dubbed the "video scandals."
A number of PRD city officials were seen collecting cash from Ahumada in his offices in the tapes. This sparked a crisis in the city government, with a number of politicians resigning from the party, but none have been found guilty of any crime.
Ahumada, arrested in Cuba months after the scandal broke, was eventually deported to Mexico and he remains in a capital jail awaiting money laundering charges.
The former head of capital precinct Gustavo A. Madero - where Ahumada´s company was paid US$2.7 million for contracts it never completed - is also in jail facing fraud charges. |
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