This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
On July 17, 2020, Emilio Lozoya, the former head of Mexico's state oil company PEMEX, arrived in Mexico City after being extradited from Spain to face bribery charges.
Lozoya is accused of managing $4 million in bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, which has admitted to paying huge sums to politicians across Latin America to win lucrative contracts.
He is also accused of authorizing PEMEX's acquisition of a rundown fertilizer factory for $500 million, a price prosecutors considered suspiciously high.
Lozoya, who headed PEMEX from 2012 to 2016, allegedly took bribes from Odebrecht starting in March 2012, when he was chief international strategist for politician Enrique Pena Nieto, who was later elected president.
Part of the money was allegedly used to finance Nieto's campaign. Lozoya denies the accusations against him.
Odebrecht, the largest construction firm in Latin America, has admitted to paying hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes to win contracts in 12 countries, including Mexico.
The scandal has brought down ex-presidents and top officials in countries including Brazil, Peru, and Colombia.
