Mexican Top Official Steps Down amid Helicopter Scandal
A senior government official who caused a national uproar after he used one of his agency's helicopters to take his family to the airport in scandal-plagued Mexico, announced his resignation Thursday.
David Korenfeld, the director of the National Water Commission (Conagua), apologized and resigned following demands from opposition groups, journalists and Internet users who have called for his ouster since the beginning of April.
The scandal began after a picture emerged of Korenfeld and his family hopping into the chopper, luggage in hand, at a heliport in the central State of Mexico.
"Human beings are always susceptible to mistakes, but we must have the courage to accept them, apologize and accept the consequences," Korenfeld told Mexico City media.
Korenfeld, 41, whose agency monitors the country's water system as well as hurricanes, had said previously that he decided to use the helicopter because of aggravated hip and knee injuries from training for the Boston Marathon in the United States.
The Conagua director called the trip an "inexcusable mistake," and said that Korenfeld had paid the public treasury back the cost.
"I used this official aircraft for eight minutes and assume the consequences," Korenfeld told the Radioformula station, adding that he has been out of the post since Monday.
The Ministry of Public Administration has opened an investigation into the case, which could lead to sanctions against Korenfeld.
The episode is only the latest scandal to hit President Enrique Pena Nieto's administration.
Pena Nieto has come under fire over his wife's purchase of a mansion from a government contractor. His finance minister also bought a house from the same contractor, which has won lucrative government projects.
In 2013, the head of the consumer protection prosecutor's office was sacked by Pena Nieto after the official's daughter tried to get her father's agency to close a restaurant because it refused to give her the table she wanted.
Source: Agence France Presse
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