Mexico's first lady is using a luxurious property in Florida purchased with the aid of a company it really is anticipated to bid for lucrative govt contracts, the Guardian has discovered.
The arrangements echo elements of Rivera's purchase of a $7m mansion in Mexico city from another govt contractor, the so-known as Casa Blanca (White residence) scandal. The primary couple's perceived conflict of pastime with the government's contracting method landed like a bombshell in 2014, wrecking Peña Nieto's recognition and reformist credentials and reviving long-standing issues about corruption within the ruling Institutional progressive birthday celebration (PRI).
The Guardian's investigation into the Florida houses displays an unorthodox relationship between the first lady and Grupo Pierdant, established on Ocean Tower One, a gated community with a pool, tennis courts and white glove concierge in Key Biscayne, an prosperous enclave in Miami-Dade County.
Rivera, a former telenovela celebrity, purchased a three-bedroom unit, number 304, in 2005. She published its existence publicly in November 2014 within the wake of the Casa Blanca controversy, which put her funds beneath scrutiny. Rivera spoke of she had lived in the Florida condo for 365 days together with her daughters. it's at the moment value around $three.5m, in line with Zillow. Although, she made no point out of Grupo Pierdant nor the enterprise's founder, Ricardo Pierdant, who has extensive business hobbies in Mexico and the united states.
In 2009 Pierdant bought unit 404 in Ocean Tower One through a corporation, Biscayne Ocean Holdings, apparently install for that intention. For the reason that then he appears to have let the first girl use the property as an addition to her other condo, in impact enabling them to be managed as a single unit. The homes share the equal mobile quantity. a lady who answered in Spanish, and recognized herself best as Maria, stated packages for Rivera may be sent to both property. "It's the same," she noted.
In March 2014 Pierdant's business deepened the link – and raised sparkling questions – by means of paying property tax now not handiest on unit 404 however additionally on 304, however it is in Rivera's name. The latter's tax invoice for that yr turned into $29,703. The document displaying Grupo Pierdant paid tax on Angelica Rivera's apartment in Key Biscayne. graphic:
Pierdant's establishment of Biscayne Ocean Holdings to purchase his unit mimicked that of Rivera, who registered her personal enterprise, UNIT 304 OTO INC, to acquire hers. Pierdant and Rivera are the sole directors and house owners of every business. The nexus between both raises subject because probably the most businessman's other companies, Grupo Pierdant, is reportedly within the running for govt contracts to advance Mexico's maritime ports.
When the Guardian phoned Pierdant to ask concerning the houses he hung up with out clarification. Peña Nieto's office rebuffed a request for comment, announcing nobody become accessible to discuss the subject. The president's workplace later rebuffed a 2nd request through saying the first woman's residences were a protection depend.
Pierdant's hyperlink to Mexico's first couple will come as information to americans who comprehend him as the co-founder of DecoBikes, a bicycle-sharing software in Miami and San Diego. The apparent conflict of pastime between his different firm, Grupo Pierdant, and the primary lady echoes that over the Casa Blanca, a modernist white mansion in Mexico's capital with seven bedrooms, marble flooring and a spa.
Outrage erupted in 2014 when it emerged Rivera turned into purchasing the mansion from Grupo Higa, a corporation linked to a chinese language-led consortium that received a $three.7bn executive contract to construct a high-speed rail hyperlink. Rivera and her husband, who has ruled Mexico seeing that 2012, denied any wrongdoing, asserting she was procuring the condominium in installments from her own television-made fortune.
Despite the fact the first lady later returned the property and final month Peña Nieto apologized, announcing the scandal had dented religion in the presidency and government. "for this reason, with all humility I ask your forgiveness," he advised political leaders. "I reiterate my honest and profound apology for the offense and indignation I even have brought about you."
The president made the apology as he signed into legislations an anti-corruption system that his PRI celebration hopes will raise its flagging credibility within the run-up to the 2018 presidential election.
linked: Mexican journalist and Penguin sued in bid to ban sale of bombshell booklet despite the fact, Carmen Aristegui, the journalist who broke the Casa Blanca story, has been fired from her radio demonstrate and is being sued, along with her writer, in an effort to pull the exposé from bookstores.
Disclosure of the primary girl's property arrangement in Florida may additionally solid a clean shadow over a ruling celebration which grew to become synonymous with corruption all over the 20th century. The properties at Ocean Tower One "the most the most upscale seaside entrance condominium on the captivating island of Key Biscayne," in keeping with a realtor's blurb – aren't the only connection between the administration and Pierdant.
In 2014 the state-run countrywide hydrocarbons fee, which regulates hydrocarbon exploration, paid the equal of $sixty one,500 to the businessman's sister, Aurora Pierdant, a lawyer, for counsel on power law.
This changed into besides the fact that children that in 2011 – the yr before Peña Nieto took office – the state oil company, Pemex, fired her as a manager for administrative negligence and violating system in assigning a big contact. She become banned from the public sector for one year. Her consultancy company's biography describes her as an authority in drafting government contracts and bidding rules.
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