Mexican judge suspends arrest warrant for ex-Pemex head

A Mexican federal judge has lifted an arrest warrant issued for a former head of the state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos in a corruption investigation, but says he must appear at a hearing.

Prosecutors issued the warrant for Emilio Lozoya last month, saying there is evidence linking him to the 2015 sale of a fertilizer plant to Pemex for an inflated price. No charges have been filed against Lozoya, and officials have not said if they know where he is.

The federal Attorney General's Office said Wednesday night that the judge's ruling requires Lozoya to appear in court within three days to post a bond of 500,000 pesos (about $25,000). The office says Lozoya also is being ordered to make himself available to prosecutors as needed.