Prosecutors in Mexico say that Karime Macías, the wife of disgraced Mexican politician Javier Duarte, is being held in London.

Mexico has requested the extradition of Ms Macías, 43, who reportedly lived in luxury in the British capital.

Her husband, the former governor of Veracruz province, is serving a nine-year sentence in jail for corruption.

Mr Duarte was dubbed “the worst governor in history” after he pleaded guilty to embezzling public funds.

‘Privileged London life’

Ms Macías is also suspected of having embezzled public funds and Mexican officials had requested a year ago that she be extradited to her home country.

Her lawyer, Marco Antonio del Toro, said that she had handed herself in voluntarily. Mr del Toro also said that his client had requested political asylum in the UK “following rights abuses committed since Javier Duarte was arrested”.

Mexican diplomatic sources told Efe news agency “that she had fled the country [Mexico] some years ago living a privileged life in London while the previous [Mexican] administration did nothing”.

The governor who succeeded Mr Duarte in office in Veracruz, Miguel Ángel Yunes Linares, said in May 2018 that he had information that Ms Macías was in London, allegedly living a life of luxury in a flat in Belgravia and spending £60,000 ($77,000) a month.

Javier Duarte later confirmed in an interview that his wife was residing in London with their three children.

Who is Javier Duarte?

Mr Duarte was governor of the eastern state of Veracruz from 2010 to 2016. He resigned from his post just 45 days before the end of his tenure in order “to clear his name” after being accused of corruption, money laundering and involvement in organised crime.

He disappeared shortly after his resignation and was arrested six months later in Guatemala in a joint operation between Interpol and Guatemalan police.

During a search of his luxury ranch in Mexico, police also found 17 paintings believed to be by famous artists such as Joan Miró, Fernando Botero and Leonora Carrington.

There was an upsurge in violence and corruption in the state during his six years in office, in particular a spike in the number of murders and disappearances.

Under Mr Duarte, Veracruz also became the most dangerous region of the country for journalists, with 17 killed during his term.

He was sentenced to nine years in prison in September last year.

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