Trevi returns to Mexico

Trevi (behind grille) appears before prison officials

Pop singer Gloria Trevi has arrived home in her native Mexico to face sex abuse charges.

She landed in Cancun on a commercial flight from Brazil, with her baby Angel Gabriel, conceived and born during almost three years of detention in prison, before being flown by private government jet to Chihuahua, where the authorities will have 72 hours to question her.

Trevi walks into prison, her son hidden by a blanket

The singer, known as the Mexican Madonna, was arrested in Rio de Janeiro in early 2000 and has been in and out of jail in Brasilia while her home country attempted to bring her to face charges in a Mexican court.

On her arrival, around 20 fans greeted her with placards and a sound system playing her most famous songs.

Appearing before a judge with her 10-month old son, she refused to answer any questions, and handed over a written statement with her declaration of guilt or innocence but it was not made public.

She is now being held in the Aquiles Serdan prison on the outskirts of Chihuahua, where she will share a two-metre by three-metre (six feet by nine feet) cell with her son.

Travel delay

Trevi's fans awaiting her return

On Thursday, Ms Trevi was on her way to Mexico when she was prevented from leaving Sao Paolo because journalists had packed the aircraft she was due to fly on in the hope of getting an interview.

Ms Trevi denies all the charges against her. She had consistently opposed being sent back to Mexico.

But, at the end of November, her lawyers announced that she no longer wanted to pursue any remaining legal options to stop her return.

Rape claims

The 34-year-old singer is accused of involvement in procuring underage girls for her ex-husband and manager Sergio Andrade.

The prosecution's chief witness is Karina Yapor, who was 12 when she joined Trevi as a backing singer in 1997.

She had a baby a year later, and says that Andrade was the father.

She says she "suffered horrible physical and psychological abuse" while living with the couple.

Another of Trevi's backing singers, Maria Raquenel Portillo, is also accused of corrupting a minor.

All three deny the charges.

Jail baby

Trevi's son was born in jail in February and has Brazilian nationality.

At one point in her fight against extradition, Ms Trevi pleaded that she did not want to go back to Mexico because it would mean separation from her son.

Ms Trevi has been dubbed the Mexican Madonna

There were accusations that she deliberately became pregnant to avoid being thrown out of Brazil.

She claimed she had been raped by a prison guard but DNA tests showed the father was Sergio Andrade, who had visited her in jail.

Ms Trevi had fought extradition because she said her life would be in danger if she returned to Mexico.

Solicitors for Mr Andrade and Ms Portillo will continue appealing against their extradition back to Mexico.

Ms Trevi has claimed prominent figures in business and politics wanted to silence her before she talks about local corruption.

Although she has not had a hit since 1996, her brash sexuality and larger-than-life persona continue to guarantee her headlines throughout Latin America.