The PAN coordinator in the Lower House, Elías Lixa, revealed on Tuesday a copy of a contract signed by the law firm of 'El Mayo' Zambada with the Chamber of Deputies in 2021. Lixa stated to the media that attorney Sergio Arturo Ramírez Muñoz, a partner of Juan Pablo Penilla, had signed a service provision contract with the majority Morena Chamber of Deputies in the last legislature.
Amid a scandal over the alleged link between Morena and the lawyer of the drug trafficker, Juan Pablo Penilla, Lixa pointed out that information about Morena's ties to Zambada's defenders was coming to light. In an interview, Ramírez and Penilla claimed to be lawyers for organized crime and drug trafficking, which has generated controversy.
Lixa criticized the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Sergio Gutiérrez Luna, whose signature authorized the aforementioned contract. The PAN deputy expressed his outrage and challenged Gutiérrez Luna to deny the signature of the contract between the Chamber and the law firm.
Regarding the services provided by the firm that advises 'El Mayo' to the Chamber of Deputies, Lixa revealed that the signed contract involved a monthly payment of more than 60,000 pesos. The document specified that the firm had provided professional services in the Culture and Cinematography Commission during the LXV legislature, which was presided over by Morena.
Within the clauses of the contract, it was stated that the validity of the contract covered from May to August 2021, with the condition that once that period ended, all its effects would be extinguished without responsibility for the contracting party.
Amid mutual accusations between PAN and Morena regarding their ties to 'El Mayo's' lawyers, other controversial cases have also come to light. PAN legislators acknowledged Juan Pablo Penilla's career and awarded him the title of 'Ambassador for Peace' in 2023, as revealed by Sergio Gutiérrez Luna. In response, the national leader of PAN, Jorge Romero, distanced himself from the links with Penilla.
On the other hand, PAN members Federico Döring, Saúl Téllez, and Jorge Triana accused national leaders, governors, and legislators of Morena of having connections with 'El Mayo' Zambada's lawyers. Attorney Juan Pablo Penilla has represented several drug traffickers, including Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, alias 'Z-40,' and leaders of criminal groups such as La Unión de Tepito.
