“Billy” Álvarez, the controversial businessman who directed the Cruz Azul Cooperative for more than 30 years

The former director general of the La Cruz Azul Cooperative SCLGuillermo Héctor Álvarez Cuevas, died this Saturday at 80 years of age. “Billy Alvarez“, was one of the most influential figures in both the sports and business fields.

In addition to being a former soccer player and former president of the Mexican soccer club Blue CrossÁlvarez presided for more than three decades Cruz Azul Cooperative. But his business career was tainted by accusations of fraud, diversion of resources and links to organized crime.

Guillermo Héctor Álvarez Cuevas was born on September 8, 1945 in Jassa, Hidalgo, and studied Business Administration at La Salle University; From a young age he was linked to the Cruz Azul cement company.

Read also Billy Álvarez, former general director of the Cruz Azul Cooperative, dies at 80

In 1988, after the death of his father, Guillermo Álvarez Macíasfounder and first director general of the cooperative, he assumed leadership, which he left in 2020. That same year he also left the management of the Cruz Azul soccer team.

Since then “Billy” Álvarez was a fugitive, after accusations of alleged embezzlement of money and financial irregularities against him.

The legal problems for Álvarez dated back to 2019, when the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) began to investigate suspicious financial movements.

Investigations revealed a network of ghost companies and irregular transactions that pointed to a scheme to divert resources from the Cruz Azul Cooperative, affecting both the club and the cooperative in general.

Read also “Billy” Álvarez of directing Cruz Azul and the Cement Cooperative to be accused of money laundering; He was arrested in CDMX

The Cruz Azul cement company is one of the most important in the country with plants throughout the national territory, and “Billy” became involved in the cooperative from a very young age since his father was general director since 1953.

Álvarez Cuevas became involved in the activities of the cement company and on July 1, 1988 he was appointed general director by the Assembly of the La Cruz Azul Cooperative.

Read also Who was Billy Álvarez, controversial president of Cruz Azul?

Thus, from 1988 until 2020, Guillermo Álvarez served as president of both the cooperative and the soccer club.

During his management, the cement company expanded industrial operations, opened new business lines and maintained a strong presence in the cement market.

mcc