( Spanish) — A judge in Mexico linked Francisco Garduño, commissioner of the National Institute of Migration, to the process this Sunday for the alleged illegal exercise of public service, after the fire that occurred in the immigration station in which 40 detainees died.
The Federal Judicial Council reported in a brief statement that a magistrate from the Ciudad Juárez Federal Criminal Justice Center granted four months to close the investigation and that the defendant must continue appearing every 15 days before the court.
“I was linked to the process, the trial is not over, I continue in the constitutional condition of keeping silent, not making statements in relation to the process. I continue to accept the constitutional guarantee”, said Garduño at the exit of the hearing.
The official’s lawyer told the media present in court that they will present an appeal to review the judge’s decision since he considers that the level of evidence is “low.”
April 27 marked one month of the fire that, in addition to the 40 deaths, left several injured. Although there are at least eight identified as allegedly responsible, among them high-level officials, there have not yet been sentenced.
