Mexico moves to strip Tamaulipas governor's immunity for alleged organized crime links

Mexico's attorney general's office has asked lawmakers to strip the governor of the violent northern state of Tamaulipas of his immunity, alleging probable cause of money laundering and ties to organized crime, a ruling party leader said on Tuesday. Tamaulipas is widely considered one of the most lawless areas of Mexico, and the state's politics have a history of crime.

Mexico's attorney general's office has asked lawmakers to strip the governor of the violent northern state of Tamaulipas of his immunity, alleging a probable cause of money laundering and ties to organized crime, a ruling party leader said on Tuesday. Ignacio Mier, the majority leader of Mexico's lower house of Congress, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday that lawmakers received the request for Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca's immunity to be removed, posting a copy of a letter along with his tweet.

Federal sources confirmed the authenticity of the letter to Reuters. Tamaulipas is widely considered one of the most lawless areas of Mexico, and the state's politics have a history of crime. Two of the previous three governors are now under arrest.

In a tweet, the governor said he had not been notified of the accusations, describing them as politically motivated. "I have never broken the law," he added.