Julio César Godoy Toscano
Encyclopedia
Julio César Godoy Toscano (born in Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán
in 1965) is a Mexican
businessman, politician and a former member of the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution
(PRD). He is half-brother of Leonel Godoy Rangel, current governor of the state of Michoacán
. Godoy has served as Mayor of the Lázaro Cárdenas municipality and was elected in 2009 to the Chamber of Deputies, the Mexican lower house of parliament, however, before being sworn in he was accused with ties with organized crime
and money laundering
. He evaded a 2009 arrest warrant by sneaking in to his own swearing-in ceremony in order to obtain parliamentary immunity. Godoy was later disavowed by the party and stripped of his office when an audio recording was released of him apparently speaking with La Familia drug cartel leader. He remains a fugitive.
based in Michoacán
state that smuggle methamphetamine
and marijuana to the U.S. The Federal Police alleged that Godoy Toscano was in charge of ensuring official protection for La Familia drug cartel. Godoy avoided arrest and he remained a fugitive for 15 months.
, allowing him to be sworn in despite the 2009 arrest warrant and acquired parliamentary immunity
(Spanish: fuero), as all Mexican elected officials do while in office. A spokesman for the Mexican Attorney General's Office said the injunction was granted because the judge felt Godoy's political rights had been violated by not letting him take his oath of office, and had nothing to do with the actual criminal case. However, the arrest warrant against Godoy Toscano is still valid.
His position as a deputy gave him immunity, but the federal Attorney General's Office pressured legislators for his impeachment. One of the reasons the immunity exists is to shield sitting legislators from judicial harassment by opposition parties. It can be taken away only with a majority vote by legislators – the situation in which Godoy found himself.
On October 14, 2010 the Federal Police "leaked" to the media one of several audio recordings of a conversation between Godoy and drug lord Servando Gómez Martínez
. In the conversation – reportedly dating from July 12, 2009 – mutual favors and recommendations are shared between the two. In the conversation, drug lord Gómez Martínez asks Godoy to get the governor to intercede at the federal level "so the police will stop interferring". Five days after the leak of this recording, on October 19, Godoy resigned to his affiliation to the PRD in order to "reduce the negative exposure" to his political party, while his peers at the PRD demand he faces the criminal charges, whether impeached or not. On October 2010 he had an additional charge for money laundering, and of having received 25 million pesos (about $2 million USD) from drug lord Servando Gómez Martínez
.
Godoy is a fugitive again and is currently charged by the Attorney General of Mexico with ties with organized crime
and money laundering
, and he is expected to defend his own case in court if/when arrested. Mexico's attorney general said on December 17, 2010 that he was calling on Interpol
to help authorities capture Godoy.
Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán
Lázaro Cárdenas is a port city that with its surrounding municipality is located in the southern part of the Mexican state of Michoacán. It was formerly known as Los Llanitos, but changed its name as a tribute to Lázaro Cárdenas del Río, a Michoacán-born politician who was president of Mexico from...
in 1965) is a Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
businessman, politician and a former member of the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution
Party of the Democratic Revolution
The Party of the Democratic Revolution is a democratic socialist party in Mexico and one of 2 Mexican affiliates of the Socialist International...
(PRD). He is half-brother of Leonel Godoy Rangel, current governor of the state of Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
. Godoy has served as Mayor of the Lázaro Cárdenas municipality and was elected in 2009 to the Chamber of Deputies, the Mexican lower house of parliament, however, before being sworn in he was accused with ties with organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
and money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
. He evaded a 2009 arrest warrant by sneaking in to his own swearing-in ceremony in order to obtain parliamentary immunity. Godoy was later disavowed by the party and stripped of his office when an audio recording was released of him apparently speaking with La Familia drug cartel leader. He remains a fugitive.
Criminal charges
Godoy Toscano was charged in July 2009 with ties with La Familia, a religious cult-like drug cartelDrug cartel
Drug cartels are criminal organizations developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises. The term was applied when the largest trafficking...
based in Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
state that smuggle methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
and marijuana to the U.S. The Federal Police alleged that Godoy Toscano was in charge of ensuring official protection for La Familia drug cartel. Godoy avoided arrest and he remained a fugitive for 15 months.
Immunity from prosecution
In a bizarre legal development that took place on September 23, 2010, he evaded police checkpoints installed to prevent his entry to the Chamber of Deputies after a judge granted him an injunctionInjunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
, allowing him to be sworn in despite the 2009 arrest warrant and acquired parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity, also known as legislative immunity, is a system in which members of the parliament or legislature are granted partial immunity from prosecution. Before prosecuting, it is necessary that the immunity be removed, usually by a superior court of justice or by the parliament itself...
(Spanish: fuero), as all Mexican elected officials do while in office. A spokesman for the Mexican Attorney General's Office said the injunction was granted because the judge felt Godoy's political rights had been violated by not letting him take his oath of office, and had nothing to do with the actual criminal case. However, the arrest warrant against Godoy Toscano is still valid.
His position as a deputy gave him immunity, but the federal Attorney General's Office pressured legislators for his impeachment. One of the reasons the immunity exists is to shield sitting legislators from judicial harassment by opposition parties. It can be taken away only with a majority vote by legislators – the situation in which Godoy found himself.
On October 14, 2010 the Federal Police "leaked" to the media one of several audio recordings of a conversation between Godoy and drug lord Servando Gómez Martínez
Servando Gómez Martínez
Servando Gómez Martínez, a.k.a. La Tuta and El Profe is a Mexican drug trafficker who worked for La Familia Michoacana drug cartel, headquartered in the Mexican state of Michoacán. However, Martinez and Dionicio Loya Plancarte later broke with La Familia and formed the Knights Templar Cartel...
. In the conversation – reportedly dating from July 12, 2009 – mutual favors and recommendations are shared between the two. In the conversation, drug lord Gómez Martínez asks Godoy to get the governor to intercede at the federal level "so the police will stop interferring". Five days after the leak of this recording, on October 19, Godoy resigned to his affiliation to the PRD in order to "reduce the negative exposure" to his political party, while his peers at the PRD demand he faces the criminal charges, whether impeached or not. On October 2010 he had an additional charge for money laundering, and of having received 25 million pesos (about $2 million USD) from drug lord Servando Gómez Martínez
Servando Gómez Martínez
Servando Gómez Martínez, a.k.a. La Tuta and El Profe is a Mexican drug trafficker who worked for La Familia Michoacana drug cartel, headquartered in the Mexican state of Michoacán. However, Martinez and Dionicio Loya Plancarte later broke with La Familia and formed the Knights Templar Cartel...
.
Impeachment
On 14 December 2010, his fellow legislators impeached Godoy and revoked his immunity after voting 384-2, with 21 abstentions, though he could resume his legislative duties if exonerated of the charges. His replacement is Israel Madrigal Ceja.Godoy is a fugitive again and is currently charged by the Attorney General of Mexico with ties with organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
and money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, and he is expected to defend his own case in court if/when arrested. Mexico's attorney general said on December 17, 2010 that he was calling on Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
to help authorities capture Godoy.