Story highlights Javier Duarte de Ochoa is wanted for money laundering and organized crime in Mexico

The former governor had been on the run since October

(CNN) A former Mexican governor accused of mishandling millions of dollars from programs for the poor was arrested Saturday in Guatemala, according to the Mexican attorney general's office.

Javier Duarte de Ochoa, former governor of the Mexican state of Veracruz, was detained by the Guatemalan police at a hotel in the tourist town of Panajachel, about 90 miles east of Guatemala City, according to a statement from the attorney general's office.

Corrección: Javier Duarte de Ochoa, al momento de su traslado al Juzgado pic.twitter.com/NipkZQQyl4 — PNC Guatemala (@PNCdeGuatemala) April 16, 2017

He's being held by Guatemalan authorities while the Mexican government formally requests his extradition to Mexico, the statement said.

Duarte, 43, had been at large for more than six months.

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The former governor is facing money laundering and organized crime charges. A Mexican judge had issued an arrest warrant against him in October.

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