Nancy Nápoles Pacheco, mayor of Tenancingo in the State of Mexico, rejected accusations of staging her own kidnapping to obtain a 40 million peso ransom and denounced political motives against her.
The Fiscalía General de Justicia del Estado de México reported that Nápoles Pacheco and several accomplices planned the staging on May 31 to justify a shortfall in municipal funds. Three people were detained in Oaxaca, while her husband and brother-in-law remain fugitives.
The mayor, from the Morena party, stated in a video that she provided evidence to prosecutors and received discriminatory treatment. She claimed that subordinates under orders from the Secretaría General de Gobierno are behind the investigation.
Nápoles Pacheco reported the alleged kidnapping on June 1. She has a scheduled hearing for formulation of charges on July 9 for the crime of simulating a kidnapping, which can carry up to 16 years in prison.