The World - News from Nov. 20, 1988

The former head of Pemex, Mexico’s government petroleum monopoly, has been cleared of embezzlement charges by a special congressional panel. Chamber of Deputies representatives, who also belong to the oil workers’ union, had accused Mario Ramon Beteta and several associates of embezzling $49 million through a 1985 tanker leasing deal. Although the federal attorney general had cleared him of the charges two years ago, the special panel was set up to reinvestigate the charges. The panel last week cleared Beteta, who left Pemex in January to become governor of the state of Mexico.