The director of Mexico's National Lottery, Laura Valdes, was replaced Tuesday amid accusations that the agency may have favored some private charities, rather than passing money through normal governmental channels.
Valdes will be replaced by Tomas Ruiz Gonzalez, a congressman for the former ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party who also once served as Mexico's assistant treasury secretary.
President Vicente Fox thanked Valdes for her work at the lottery, but did not specify why she was being replaced.
Laura Valdes is the sister of Maria Elena Valdes, who serves as the director of Vamos Mexico, or "Let's Go, Mexico," the charity foundation of First Lady Marta Sahagun.
Lawmakers have asked for an investigation that the National Lottery had made donations to many of the same institutions that benefit from Vamos Mexico, which Sahagun founded in 2001.
Sahagun repeatedly has denied any mismanagement; Laura Valdes said has there were no links between the Lottery and Sahagun's work.
Fox said he had instructed Ruiz Gonzalez "to continue cooperating with auditors, to continue providing financial and accounting information ... to ensure the transparency and accountability" of the lottery.
Previously, Fox has said that if any irregularities were discovered at the Lottery, those responsible would be punished, "regardless of who is involved."
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