Mexico's ex-president seeks exoneration for 1993 murder of cardinal

Published: 2007-05-25

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (CNS) -- In an effort to rehabilitate his tarnished reputation, former Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari is petitioning the Mexican government and senior Catholic officials to discharge him from any responsibility for the 1993 murder of Guadalajara Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo, reported Excelsior, a Mexico City newspaper. The Excelsior story ran May 24, the 14th anniversary of the cardinal's violent death. It was based on copies of reports it said were dated Oct. 16, 2006, and May 2007 that "are only circulating at the highest levels of the Catholic hierarchy" and were prepared for the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. Jose Ortega Sanchez, a lawyer for Guadalajara Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez, confirmed for Catholic News Service that the reports obtained by Excelsior were authentic. He told the newspaper, "The Vatican's intention for requesting this information is to know the status of the investigation." He added that Salinas would like a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI and is looking for a third party to mediate -- possibly Cardinal Sandoval.

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