PRI and PAN exchange accusations of links with narcos in Tamaulipas

By Ariadna García, Juan Arvizu and Suzzete Alcántara

Manlio Fabio Beltrones and Ricardo Anaya, national leaders of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the National Action Party (PAN), respectively, exchanged accusations of having candidates allegedly linked to organized crime in Tamaulipas.

The PRI expelled three of its candidates to mayor in Tamaulipas and said that it may file a complaint against them before the Attorney General's Office (PGR) because they were "threatened or purchased" by drug trafficking to support Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca, PAN candidate for governor of the state.

Beltrones said that the candidates are Reyes Zúñiga Vázquez, candidate for mayor of Hidalgo; Luis Cesáreo Aldape, candidate for mayor of Mainero, and Gustavo Estrella Cabrera, candidate for mayor of Villagrán.

Anaya rejected the accusations against his candidate and said the PRI and not his party has been infiltrated.

"The cynicism of the PRI knows no bounds. If a party has been historically linked to organized crime in Tamaulipas is the PRI. Let us not forget that two former governors of the party, Tomás Yarrington and Eugenio Hernández, are now fugitives from justice wanted for their links with crime," Anaya said in a statement last night.

He added that the PRI is attacking their candidate because García Cabeza de Vaca has a clear advantage in the polls and won the debate held last Wednesday.