Background on María Elena Pérez-Jaén
María Elena Pérez-Jaén Zermeño is a former federal panista congresswoman who has recently taken action against Senator Adán Augusto López Hernández. Her accusations highlight potential financial irregularities and possible criminal activities.
Adán Augusto López Hernández: Key Information
Adán Augusto López Hernández is a senator representing Morena, the party of Mexico’s current president. Previously, he served as the Secretary of Governance and as the governor of Tabasco. His political career has placed him under scrutiny, especially concerning his financial declarations.
The Accusations: Omissions, Contradictions, and Falsehoods
María Elena Pérez-Jaén denounced López Hernández to the Internal Auditing Office of the Senate for alleged omissions, contradictions, and falsehoods in his financial and tax declarations. These irregularities could constitute serious administrative offenses as well as criminal acts.
Omitted Income
The ex-congresswoman claims that López Hernández failed to report approximately 79 million pesos in extraordinary income during the fiscal years 2023 and 2024. These funds were reportedly deposited in his accounts under the heading of “professional services” from companies with ties to the Tabasco government and those classified as “ghost” companies by the Mexican Tax Administration Service (SAT).
Specific Examples of Alleged Omissions and Conflicts of Interest
- In 2023, López Hernández reportedly received 8.9 million pesos from GH Servicios Empresariales / Operadora Turística Rabat as “professional services.”
- In December 2023, he allegedly received an additional 11.5 million pesos from the same company.
- In 2024, he reportedly received 18.8 million pesos from Capital Garco del Golfo, a company that had been a contractor for the Tabasco government during his tenure as governor.
Contradictions in Financial Declarations
Pérez-Jaén pointed out discrepancies between López Hernández’s financial declarations to the SAT and the Internal Auditing Office of the Senate. While he declared 58.1 million pesos to the SAT, he reported only 625,793 pesos to the Senate’s Internal Auditing Office. This discrepancy, she claims, suggests a “serious” tax violation and possible simulation of operations.
Potential Charges
Based on her accusations, Pérez-Jaén suggested several possible charges against López Hernández:
- Equiparated Tax Fraud, according to the Federal Fiscal Code
- Conflict of Interest with government contractors in Tabasco, according to the General Law on Administrative Responsibilities
- Violation of the Notarial Incompatibility Regime, as he held public and private remunerated functions simultaneously, which is prohibited by the Tabasco Notarial Law
- Illicit Enrichment and Bribery
Requested Actions
Pérez-Jaén requested the following actions from the Internal Auditing Office of the Senate:
- Initiate an investigation into administrative offenses
- Thoroughly review López Hernández’s financial declarations from 2021 to 2025
- Seek the involvement of the National Banking and Securities Commission and the Public Property Registry to verify López Hernández’s and his family’s asset evolution
Additional Authorities Involved
Pérez-Jaén also suggested that the Unit for Intelligence and Financial Investigations (UIFI), the Federal Fiscal Prosecutor’s Office, and the Specialized Fiscal Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Corruption within the Federal Attorney General’s Office should be involved to investigate potential money laundering and tax fraud charges.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who made the accusations? María Elena Pérez-Jaén Zermeño, a former federal panista congresswoman.
- Who is the accused? Adán Augusto López Hernández, a senator representing Morena and former Secretary of Governance and governor of Tabasco.
- What are the accusations based on? Alleged omissions, contradictions, and falsehoods in López Hernández’s financial and tax declarations.
- What specific income was not reported? Approximately 79 million pesos in extraordinary income during the fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
- What companies are involved in the alleged conflicts of interest? GH Servicios Empresariales / Operadora Turística Rabat and Capital Garco del Golfo, both with ties to the Tabasco government.
- What possible charges are suggested? Equiparated Tax Fraud, Conflict of Interest, Violation of the Notarial Incompatibility Regime, Illicit Enrichment, and Bribery.
