Mexico freezes bank accounts of former Pemex CEO

Mexico’s Finance Ministry said on Monday it had blocked the bank accounts of the former chief executive of state oil firm Pemex, one of ex-President Enrique Pena Nieto’s closest advisers, for allegedly carrying out “illegal” financial operations.

The ministry’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) identified the former CEO of Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) as Emilio Lozoya Austin. It also said it froze the bank accounts of one of Mexico’s largest steelmakers, Altos Hornos de Mexico, or AHMSA.

The FIU said the accounts were frozen after “multiple operations were identified in the domestic and international financial system that . . .