Fugitive Mexican governor arrested in Guatemala

Mexico City April 16 (IANS) A former Mexican state governor who has been on the run for six months after being accused of corruption and embezzling millions was arrested in Guatemala the police said.

Javier Duarte the former governor of Veracruz state was found and arrested in a hotel lobby in the city of Solola on Saturday during a joint operation between Interpol and the Guatemalan police according to Mexico s attorney general.

He is expected to be extradited to Mexico at a later date the BBC reported.

Duarte is suspected to have siphoned off at least 645 million Mexican pesos ($35 million) of public money.

He resigned his post to face corruption allegations but then disappeared in October 2016.

When authorities raided his luxury ranch they found 17 paintings believed to be by famous artists such as Spain s Joan Miro Colombian Fernando Botero and English-born Mexican Leonora Carrington.

He was suspended from this party PRI -- which is also the party of President Enrique Pena Nieto -- before he disappeared.

--IANS
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