Veracruz, February 15. Governor Rocío Nahle appointed her husband, José Luis Peña Peña, as an advisor to the Secretariat of Agricultural, Rural, Forestry, and Fisheries Development (Sedarpa). Unusually, the position will not have a salary.
"I personally asked my husband to help me. He has been working on this, and as you can imagine, I get the daily report. Every day he talks to me about the rancher and the whole field issue. But that's good because that way I find out about everything," declared the Morena member.
Controversy over the appointment
The announcement was released during the third follow-up meeting with ranchers from Zone B in Las Choapas. Various organizations and producers from all over the state of Veracruz were present at the event.
Although the head of the Secretariat of Agricultural Development is Rodrigo Calderón Salas, Nahle revealed that her husband sends her daily reports on the ranching sector.
A week ago, Armando Cuervo Cordero, Undersecretary of Ranching, publicly thanked the appointment of José Luis Peña as an advisor to the area.
During a meeting in Tuxpan, the official acknowledged the appointment:
"We appreciate the appointment of Engineer José Luis Peña as an advisor to the Undersecretariat of Ranching of the State Government. He will be a great ally."
Accusations of illicit enrichment and luxurious properties
The Nahle-Peña couple is not exempt from controversies. Both have been accused of irregular handling of resources, with multiple documented accusations of illicit enrichment.
One of the main accusers is businessman Arturo Castagné, who has accused them of corruption, money laundering, and acquisition of top-level goods.
Properties in Mexico and abroad
In 2024, details were leaked about two top-level houses located in an exclusive subdivision in Boca del Río. One of them is in the name of José Luis Peña and the other in the name of his niece.
Both properties were acquired in the last four years while Rocío Nahle was leading the Dos Bocas refinery project.
Additionally, documents presented by Castagné reveal that Nahle owns properties in Mexico and abroad, including apartments in San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, and in the exclusive area of Central Park in New York.
These assets, along with bank accounts in tax havens, do not correspond with the public official's salary, which has caused strong criticism and demands for transparency.
