Juarez City.- Antonio ‘N’, general director of Immigration Control and Verification of the National Institute of Migration (INM), requested this afternoon before federal judge José Avelino Acosta an extension of 144 hours to resolve his legal situation, for which the initial hearing It will resume next Tuesday, April 25 at 2:00 p.m.
The federal official is accused of probable responsibility for the crime of improper exercise of public service, after the fire that occurred on March 27 at the INM type B provisional stay on this border, where 40 migrants died and 28 more were injured.
For five hours, the social representation that asked the judge for the order to link the defendant to the process, indicated within the test data that he issued official letters so that the civil protection protocols were complied with in the ranches of the country, but it did not supervise that they were carried out, for which reason foreigners were not treated with dignity at this border, who, due to the lack of water and food, set fire to the mats.
It was said that through official letter 161/2022, on July 7, 2022, the head of the INM representation in Chihuahua, Rear Admiral Salvador González Guerrero, informed him that due to the remodeling work carried out in the provisional stay of this border, its capacity was increased from 40 men and 20 women to 80 men and 25 women, and he attached photographs of the facilities, which show the lack of fire extinguishers and the existence of five windows 40 centimeters high by 20 centimeters Wide.
He also pointed out that although it was indicated that there were 68 people inside the men’s area, there were only files on 52 people, since a procedure had not been initiated for 16 Venezuelan migrants, which means that they were deprived of their liberty.
“They were in prison conditions”, “in a room with cells and a padlock”, “he failed to observe the obligations under his own charge, which he himself instructed since 2020 when he took office. He was in charge of disseminating them, failing to observe compliance with them, ”said the agent of the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) attached to the Investigation Unit of Crimes for Migrants of the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic (FGR).
The defendant is accused of failing to comply with his obligations to monitor, protect and provide security to the people and facilities under his charge, causing the death of 40 foreigners.
“It was ignored because these people did not receive dignified treatment”, “it did not supervise the protocols for a correct operation,” said the accusing party.
The federal judge recalled that the monthly signature as of this Friday is maintained as a precautionary measure.
After the involvement of the initial hearing 236/2023, in which it is provided by five lawyers, since this Friday two more joined his defense, Antonio “N”, said that from the first moment he has been attending to the situation, supporting injured people and the repatriation of the bodies of fatalities.
