Ex-Mexican president's brother found dead

[Tab]

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) -- Enrique Salinas, the youngest brother of former Mexican president Carlos Salinas de Gortari, was found dead in a car on the outskirts of Mexico City on Monday, with a plastic bag tied over his head in an apparent murder, officials said.

Authorities said there indications that Salinas had been killed as part of an attempt to extort him or get information out of him.

"Generally, if you put a bag over someone's head, you're often not trying to kill them, but rather extort them or get some information out of them," said Alfonso Navarrete Prida, the attorney general of the State of Mexico, which abuts Mexico City and where the body was found.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/12/06/mexico.slaying.ap/index.html

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. Sho does seem like lots of folks are dying in odd fashion these

days.

[bemildred]

2. Seems very undignified. nt

[havocmom]

3. Trying to get information? Like numbers of Swiss bank accounts?

That has certainly been a, ahem, colorful and interesting political family.

[Minstrel Boy]

4. The Salinas boys, like the Bush boys, are narco criminals.

Carlos's eldest brother, money launderer Raul, is serving time for murder.

Criminals don't only rise to power in other countries.

About Raul, from Frontline:


Raul Salinas de Gortari is the older brother of Mexico's former president Carlos Salinas and served as his aide and as a government food distribution officer. In early 1994 he was arrested on charges of masterminding the murder of his ex-brother-in-law, Pepe Ruiz Massieu, and, in January 1999, he was convicted and sentenced to 50 years in prison for the murder. (Six months later a Mexican appeals court reduced this sentence to 27 1/2 years.)

He also has been accused of money laundering and "inexplicable enrichment." The Swiss government and court have determined that the bulk of Raul's over $100 million in Swiss accounts is protection money paid by the drug cartels. Switzerland is not only keeping the money but considering criminal prosecution.

In the U.S. the grand jury criminal investigation of Raul Salinas and Citibank and its employees continues, but sources say indictments do not appear likely.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/mexico/family/raulsalinas.html