A new book by a former top legal official in Mexico’s federal government is causing headaches for the ruling Morena party, with opposition senators calling for criminal investigations and key party figures firing back with denials.
The book, Ni venganza ni perdón: Una amistad al filo del poder — “Neither Revenge Nor Forgiveness: A Friendship at the Edge of Power” — was written by Julio Scherer Ibarra, who served as Legal Counsel to former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador from 2018 until he resigned in September 2021. Co-authored with journalist Jorge Fernández Menéndez, the book draws on Scherer’s nearly 30-year relationship with López Obrador and alleges, among other things, that organized crime money was used to finance Morena campaign operations in multiple states.
The book names Sergio Carmona, known as the “rey del huachicol” — king of fuel theft — as a key financier who allegedly funneled money into Morena campaigns in states including Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, and Sonora, beginning in 2018. Carmona was killed in November 2021. The book also levels accusations at Jesús Ramírez, who served as presidential spokesperson and is currently a senior adviser in President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government.
Opposition senator Ricardo Anaya, who leads the National Action Party (PAN) bloc in the Senate, said the allegations are serious enough that authorities are legally obligated to act — no formal complaint required.
“Much of what he is pointing out involves crimes that are prosecuted on the state’s own authority,” Anaya said. “The authorities are obligated to open investigation files.”
Anaya went further, saying that if no investigation is opened, it would amount to confirmation of the alleged ties between Morena and organized crime.
President Sheinbaum pushed back during her daily press conference on Feb. 17, saying she does not see any need for the Attorney General’s Office (FGR, in Spanish) to investigate Scherer. When reporters asked whether it would be desirable for the FGR to look into the matter, Sheinbaum redirected attention to Genaro García Luna, the former security secretary under President Felipe Calderón, who is now in a U.S. prison for drug trafficking ties. Sheinbaum has also said she does not plan to read the book.
Clara Brugada, head of government of Mexico City, also pushed back, calling the allegations about her and Ramírez false.
“I reject what this person has said,” Brugada stated. “That is a lie and an attempt to damage the image of people, like Jesús Ramírez and me, and I do not accept it.” She vouched for Ramírez as a person of integrity and challenged Scherer to produce evidence.
Morena senator Guadalupe Chavira called the book “irresponsible,” accusing Scherer of aiming to “confuse and speculate” following his departure from government.
Scherer’s exit from government was itself controversial. He resigned after facing accusations of extortion and running an influence-peddling network — charges that ultimately did not result in convictions. Various government bodies launched legal proceedings against him after he left, none of which succeeded.
The book has stirred a broader political debate about the 2030 presidential succession inside Morena. Some political analysts have noted that the figures targeted by Scherer’s allegations are generally aligned against Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch, a potential future presidential contender. Scherer, for his part, has denied that the book makes direct personal imputations — telling Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo, who sought clarification about references to his state, that the passages in question refer to events in 2018 and contain no direct accusations against him.
Scherer is the son of Julio Scherer García, the legendary journalist who founded the news magazine Proceso after being pushed out of the newspaper Excélsior under government pressure in the 1970s. That family history adds an extra layer of resonance to the current controversy in Mexican media and political circles.
For more on Mexico’s security landscape, see Yucatán’s safety rankings at Yucatán Daily News. For a detailed overview of the book itself, see its Wikipedia entry.
Fast Facts
- Ni venganza ni perdón was co-written by Julio Scherer Ibarra and journalist Jorge Fernández Menéndez
- Scherer served as Legal Counsel to the President under López Obrador from 2018 to September 2021
- The book alleges that organized crime funds, linked to a figure known as the “rey del huachicol,” financed Morena campaigns in northern Mexico starting in 2018
- Opposition senator Ricardo Anaya (PAN) has called for formal investigations, arguing the alleged crimes are prosecutable without a complaint from Scherer
- President Sheinbaum said she sees no need for the FGR to investigate, and has stated she will not read the book
- Mexico City head of government Clara Brugada and former presidential spokesman Jesús Ramírez both denied the allegations against them
- Morena senator Guadalupe Chavira dismissed the book as irresponsible speculation
- Sergio Carmona, the alleged financier named in the book, was killed in November 2021
- Scherer’s father founded the news magazine Proceso after being ousted from Excélsior under government pressure in 1976