Mexico To Investigate De Gortari’s Brother

Mexican lawmakers have appointed a commission to investigate how Raul Salinas de Gortari, the former president’s brother, amassed tens of millions of dollars while holding a government job.

Former President Carlos Salinas de Gortari says he has no idea how his brother, a murder suspect, got his fortune. But a former federal comptroller said Tuesday that she had advised the president in 1992 that his brother was rumored to be involved in shady deals.

Raul Salinas is in jail charged with masterminding the September 1994 murder of Jose Francisco Ruiz Massieu, the No. 2 man in the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI.

His wife was arrested in Switzerland two weeks ago while trying to withdraw some of $84 million he had in accounts apparently opened under an alias; Swiss authorities said the arrest was connected with drug trafficking.

Raul Salinas has 12 days to show he came by the wealth legitimately or the government can start proceedings to confiscate it.