Head of Mexican Immigration Company Charged After Detention Middle Hearth

MEXICO CITY — The pinnacle of Mexico’s Nationwide Immigration Institute will face legal fees for a hearth that killed 40 migrants in a locked cell, the federal Lawyer Basic’s Workplace mentioned Tuesday evening.

The workplace mentioned in an announcement that the top of the immigration company, Francisco Garduño, was criminally remiss in not stopping the hearth, regardless of earlier incidents confirmed the scenario on the nation’s migrant detention facilities wanted correcting.

A number of different officers of the company will even face fees for failing to hold out their duties, the assertion mentioned, however prosecutors didn’t clarify what particular fees or establish the officers.

Prosecutors mentioned the case confirmed a “sample of irresponsibility,” their assertion launched simply hours after Mexico’s president mentioned two guards seen fleeing when the hearth broke out didn’t have keys to the cell door.

The press workplace of the immigration company that Garduño heads did instantly reply to messages and telephone calls requesting remark.

Prosecutors mentioned that after a hearth at one other detention middle within the Gulf coast state of Tabasco killed one particular person and injured 14 in 2020, the immigration company knew there have been issues which wanted to be corrected. however alleged they didn’t act.

There have lengthy been complaints about corruption and unhealthy situations at Mexico’s migrant detention amenities.

Learn Extra: How Policies in the U.S. and Mexico Led to the Detention Center Fire that Killed Dozens of People

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s feedback concerning the guards in final month’s fireplace in Ciudad Juarez got here on the identical day that the our bodies of 17 Guatemala migrants and 6 Hondurans killed within the fireplace have been flown again to their dwelling nations.

It was unclear what impact López Obrador’s feedback might need on the trial of the guards, who have been detained beforehand over the hearth, which shocked the nation.

“The door was closed, as a result of the one who had the keys wasn’t there,” López Obrador mentioned.

A video from a security camera inside the facility shows guards walking away when the hearth began in late March contained in the cell holding migrants.

The guards are seen hurrying away as smoke fills the power, and they didn’t seem to make any effort to launch the migrants.

Three Mexican immigration officers, a guard and a Venezuelan migrant are being held for investigation in reference to the hearth. They face murder fees.

The migrant allegedly set fireplace to foam mattresses on the detention middle to protest what he apparently thought have been plans to maneuver or deport the migrants.

In Guatemala Metropolis, kin of the victims gathered at an air pressure base with flowers and images of the deceased to mark their return.

“My son, my love,” a feminine voice may very well be heard calling out, amid sobs from these current because the coffins have been unloaded and positioned in a line, and kin have been allowed to strategy them.

Mexican army planes carried the our bodies six migrants to Honduras and 17 to Guatemala. Authorities say 19 of the 40 useless have been from Guatemala, however two our bodies have been nonetheless within the course of of getting their identities confirmed.

A further 11 Guatemalans have been injured within the fireplace.

Guatemalan Overseas Minister Mario Búcaro accompanied the our bodies, which have been to be taken overland to their hometowns in 9 completely different provinces.

Some our bodies of Salvadoran migrants have been returned to El Salvador final week. Thus far, 31 our bodies have been despatched again to their dwelling nations.

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