DATE=10/7/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41542
TITLE=MEXICO/SALINAS MILLIONS
BYLINE=GREG FLAKUS
DATELINE=MEXICO CITY
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  MEXICAN INVESTIGATORS ARE CONTINUING THEIR PROBE INTO 
BANK ACCOUNTS AND PROPERTIES ALLEGEDLY USED BY RAUL SALINAS DE 
GORTARI TO HIDE PROFITS FROM CORRUPTION AND DRUG-TRAFFICKING.  AS
VOA'S GREG  FLAKUS REPORTS FROM MEXICO CITY, THE ELDER BROTHER OF
FORMER MEXICAN  PRESIDENT CARLOS SALINAS DE GORTARI IS DENYING 
ANY WRONGDOING EVEN AS THE EVIDENCE MOUNTS AGAINST HIM.

TEXT:  IN APPEARANCES BEFORE REPORTERS LAST FRIDAY, ASSISTANT 
MEXICAN FEDERAL PROSECUTOR JOSE LUIS RAMOS PROVIDED DETAILS FROM 
INVESTIGATIONS IN MEXICO AND EUROPE CONCERNING PROPERTIES AND 
MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR ACCOUNTS ALLEGEDLY LINKED TO RAUL SALINAS.

                  /// RAMOS ACT  (SPANISH) ///

MR RAMOS SAID INVESTIGATORS HAD FOUND 140 BANK ACCOUNTS IN MEXICO
AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL AS BUILDINGS AND LAND HOLDINGS 
WHICH WERE EITHER OWNED BY RAUL SALINAS DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY. 
HE SAID  MANY OF THE ACCOUNTS WERE TRACED FROM COMPUTER FILES 
MAINTAINED BY  JUAN MANUEL GOMEZ GUTIERREZ, RAUL SALINAS' FORMER 
ACCOUNTANT, WHO WAS BRIEFLY ARRESTED IN JULY BUT LATER FLED.

                     ///  ACT (SPANISH) ///

MR RAMOS SAID THE ACCOUNTS TOTALLED ABOUT 243 MILLION DOLLARS AND
THAT THESE ARE IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUSLY DISCOVERED ACCOUNTS IN 
SWITZERLAND AMOUNTING TO ABOUT 100 MILLION DOLLARS AND IN GREAT 
BRITAIN TOTALLY MORE THAN 23 MILLION DOLLARS.  MR RAMOS SAID 
INVESTIGATORS IN SWITZERLAND AND THE UNITED STATES ARE ALSO 
CONDUCTING THEIR OWN INVESTIGATIONS OF RAUL SALINAS AND HIS 
HOLDINGS.

THROUGH HIS ATTORNEYS, RAUL SALINAS DENIED THE NEW CHARGES.  HE 
IS CURRENTLY IN MEXICO'S ALMOLOYA PRISON FACING CHARGES OF 
ILLICIT ENRICHMENT. MEXICAN INVESTIGATORS ARE PREPARING A CASE 
THAT WOULD LINK THE RECENTLY UNEARTHED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO 
RAUL SALINAS' ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN MONEY LAUNDERING AND 
PROTECTION OF DRUG TRAFFICKERS.  

IN ADDITION, PROSECUTORS ARE STILL INVESTIGATING ALLEGED 
INVOLVEMENT OF RAUL SALINAS IN THE 1994 MURDER OF JOSE FRANCISCO 
RUIZ MASSIEU, WHO WAS, AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, GENERAL 
SECRETARY OF THE RULING INSTITUTIONAL REVOLUTIONARY PARTY, OR PRI
-- THE SAME PARTY UNDER WHICH RAUL'S BROTHER, CARLOS SALINAS, 
SERVED AS PRESIDENT.

BOTH SALINAS BROTHERS HAVE SUGGESTED THE INVESTIGATIONS HAVE A 
POLITICAL MOTIVE.  CARLOS SALINAS CURRENTLY LIVES IN DUBLIN, 
IRELAND, WHERE HE WENT INTO EXILE NOT LONG AFTER THE ARREST OF 
HIS BROTHER IN FEBRUARY 1995.

THE CHARGES AGAINST RAUL SALINAS AND THE SELF-IMPOSED IRISH EXILE
OF CARLOS SALINAS HAVE STAINED THE IMAGE OF THE SALINAS 
PRESIDENCY, WHICH MANY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ANALYSTS CREDIT FOR
HAVING MOVED MEXICO INTO THE MODERN GLOBAL ECONOMY. (SIGNED)

NEB/GF/LTD/WFR 

07-Oct-98 2:47 PM EDT (1847 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.