A judge on Monday, March 4, ruled there was enough evidence to prosecute the charismatic former boss of Mexico's teachers' union for allegedly embezzling around $200 million in union funds, and ordered her to remain in jail ahead of her trial, Reuters reported.
Alejandro Caballero Vertiz, Mexico city's sixth federal court judge, said in a statement on Monday night that evidence of misuse of funds by Elba Esther Gordillo, 68, was strong enough to merit trial and continued incarceration.
"The evidence considered so far is sufficient," he said in a statement, adding Gordillo and her associates "allegedly transferred money from various bank accounts in the name of the National Union of Education Workers to personal accounts between 2009 and 2012."
Gordillo faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Under Mexican law, she could apply for a move from jail to house arrest when she turns 70.
Gordillo has publicly denied the allegations of corruption leveled against her in previous interviews, and said in 2002 her wealth came from an inheritance from a grandfather.
Gordillo, called "La maestra" or the teacher, was arrested a day after President Enrique Pena Nieto signed a new law aimed at jumpstarting Mexico's flagging education system by breaking the union's stranglehold over teacher hiring.
She is accused of using ill-gotten funds to pay for millions of dollars worth of U.S. property, luxury goods, designer clothes, works of art and plastic surgery, though the government said she declared annual income of just above $100,000 between 2009-2012.
