THE Mexican ambassador to Ireland has been recalled after his government alleged that he arranged a secret meeting in Dublin last month between the former president, Mr Carlos Salinas, and a left wing intellectual.
Mr Augustin Gutierrez Canet was appointed ambassador just seven months ago. After the meeting became public the ambassador received a phone call from the Mexican Foreign Minister, Mr Jose Angel Gurrfa, recalling him to Mexico City by the end of this month. Mr Gutierrez was offered the post of ambassador to Haiti, which he declined. He has requested leave of absence from the foreign service.
The official explanation for his withdrawal is that the government wanted to appoint a distinguished member of the Mexican foreign service, a specialist in European affairs," in advance of the Irish EU presidency.
A left wing writer, Mr Jorge Castenada, told Mexican media this week that he met the exiled Mr Salinas in Dublin for lunch on May 6th.
The former president left Mexico in March 1995 after his brother, Raul, was charged with ordering the murder of a presidential candidate in Mr Salinass own party. Mr Salinas is believed to have been living in Dublin since April.
According to the ambassador Mr Salinas has been in contact with the embassy in Dublin twice over consular issues. It is believed that he contacted the embassy to arrange a passport for his son.
In an article in the left wing Mexican magazine Proceso Mr Castenada said the lunch with Mr Salinas was organised independently of the ambassador. Mr Castenada says that he had dinner with Mr Salinas in New York last October.
He described the lunch as a private conversation whose contents do not belong in the public domain". He said reports that this was a secret visit organised to hatch a plot with Mr Salinas against the Mexican regime were mere stupidity.
Mr Castenada says he contacted the ambassador before reading reports about Mr Salinas being in Dublin and asked him to recommend places to visit. Mr Gutierrez was in Rome on holiday in the week prior to Mr Castenada's visit. He had no role in arranging that meeting. He didn't know anything about it."
According to one Mexican newspaper, the decision to with draw Mr Gutierrez is based on paranoia about conspiracies against the administration of President Ernesto Zedillo.
Meanwhile, Mr Zediflo reported to have hinted that Mr Salinas may be called to testify in an investigation into the murder of a presidential candidate, Mr Luis Donaldo Colosio, who was murdered two years ago. According to a recent opinion poll more than 70 per cent of Mexicans believe the murder will remain unsolved.