Carlos Ahumada

Who is Carlos Ahumada?

Carlos Agustín Ahumada Kurtz is an entrepreneur of dual Argentine-Mexican nationality. His main areas of business are mining, construction and football. He founded the El Independiente newspaper in Mexico and was a partner and founding member of Colegio de Imagen Pública A.C.

He gained public notoriety in 2004, when he denounced corruption of top officials in the government of Mexico City, going public with videos showing him being extorted by public officials. This episode became known as the "video scandal".

He was apprehended in Havana by Cuban authorities, acting on an extradition request by Mexico, and later deported. On May 8, 2007, he was released from prison, cleared of all charges. Several analysts and columnists considered Ahumada a "political prisoner".

On December 28, 2007, the Federal District Human Rights Commission issued its recommendation 19/2007, addressed to the Government Secretariat of the Federal District and the General Justice Department of the Federal District, requesting them to offer public apologies to Carlos Ahumada and his family. Ahumada was the subject of an article by Fidel Castro, entitled "El Gigante de las Siete Leguas, Parte II".