Ciudad Juárez (Mexico) (EFE) March.
“I am linked to the process, the trial is not over, I am still in the constitutional condition of keeping silent, not making statements in relation to the process. I continue to accept the constitutional guarantee,” said the official at the exit of the hearing that was held at the Federal Criminal Justice Center in Ciudad Juárez.
The head of the INM also assured that he will continue to lead his position, until the contrary is decided, despite criticism for his actions in the incident.
“I will continue working at the INM until the contrary is determined and I will be very attentive to the efforts to fully repair the damage,” he said.
The immigration chief’s defense
Rodolfo Pérez Velázquez, Garduño’s lawyer, argued that the official has no criminal responsibility in the incident, because he delegated responsibility for the care of migrants to other officials.
He also explained that the level of evidence “is low” and assured that they will present an amparo “not so that the process is not continued, but so that the judge’s actions in this relationship are reviewed.”
The legal representative said that it was not possible for them to present some evidence such as videos and witnesses, so the amparo will be presented in the next 15 days.
Garduño thus faces the accusation of the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) who filed charges against the federal official for the illegal exercise of public service, because according to the FGR, he did not guarantee the safety of the migrants who were in the immigration station.
The judge considered that Garduño was omitted in his duties since he had to carry out action protocols against fires and overcrowding.
The judge’s reasons
Last Tuesday, the judge charged Francisco Garduño, head of the National Institute of Migration (INM), for the crime of illegal exercise of public service.
At the hearing, which lasted just over 10 hours, the judge did not order the official into preventive detention, however, he will have to sign every 15 days.
The initial hearing was scheduled for April 21, however, it was postponed because his defense argued that he did not have access to the investigation folder.
Last week, the Secretary of the Interior of Mexico, Adán Augusto López, assured that reparation for the damage will be guaranteed to the families of the 40 migrants who died in a fire and to those who were injured a month ago in an immigration station in Ciudad Juárez. at the request of the Government of Guatemala.
After the tragedy, the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, justified that Garduño remain in his position, but pointed out that when the FGR investigation concludes, he will decide whether or not to keep him in the position.
He has also promised that there will be justice in the case.
International scrutiny on the role of the Government of Mexico and the INM has grown after the fire on March 27, when 6 Hondurans, 7 Salvadorans, 19 Guatemalans, 7 Venezuelans and one Colombian died, which El Salvador considered a “state crime”. ”.