Cartel Fuel Theft Operations Began Inside State Oil Company, Says Mexican President

Mexico’s President claimed that the widespread theft of fuel and lucrative black market where it is sold starts from within the state-owned oil company, not criminal groups.

The bombshell statement by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (aka AMLO) was made during his daily press briefing, Mexico’s Revista Proceso reported. Lopez Obrador said his government obtained information that pointed to the underground sale of fuel, better known as “huachicol,” starting within Petroleos Mexicanos or Pemex. The president claimed he would unveil a plan to end such practices in the coming days.

The announcement comes one week after Lopez Obrador called for the theft of fuel to be labeled as a major crime where suspects cannot be eligible for bond. As Breitbart News previously reported, the underground sales are now key moneymakers for some of the most dangerous cartels, including the Gulf, various factions of Los Zetas, and Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG).

Close to 24 U.S. companies were referenced in various lawsuits and other legal actions in connection with the purchase of fuel stolen by cartels in Mexico.

Once peaceful states in Central Mexico, including Guanajuato, Puebla, and Queretaro, are now seeing an unprecedented wave of violence after cells from CJNG moved into the greater region–forcing local gangs of fuel thieves to realign or else.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon.  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 the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Stephen K. Bannon. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.