MEXICO CITY — The top of Mexico’s Nationwide Immigration Institute will face prison prices for a fireplace that killed 40 migrants in a locked cell, the federal Lawyer Normal’s Workplace stated Tuesday evening.
The workplace stated in an announcement that the pinnacle 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 can even face prices for failing to hold out their duties, the assertion stated, however prosecutors didn’t clarify what particular prices or determine the officers.
Prosecutors stated the case confirmed a “sample of irresponsibility,” their assertion launched simply hours after Mexico’s president stated 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 stated that after a fireplace at one other detention heart within the Gulf coast state of Tabasco killed one individual 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 dangerous situations at Mexico’s migrant detention services.
Learn Extra: How Insurance policies within the U.S. and Mexico Led to the Detention Middle Fireplace that Killed Dozens of Individuals
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s feedback concerning the guards in final month’s hearth in Ciudad Juarez got here on the identical day that the our bodies of 17 Guatemala migrants and 6 Hondurans killed within the hearth had been flown again to their house nations.
It was unclear what impact López Obrador’s feedback may need on the trial of the guards, who had 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 stated.
A video from a safety digicam inside the ability exhibits guards strolling away when the hearth began in late March contained in the cell holding migrants.
The guards are seen hurrying away as smoke fills the ability, 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 prices.
The migrant allegedly set hearth to foam mattresses on the detention heart to protest what he apparently thought had been plans to maneuver or deport the migrants.
In Guatemala Metropolis, family members of the victims gathered at an air power 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 had been unloaded and positioned in a line, and family members had been allowed to strategy them.
Mexican navy planes carried the our bodies six migrants to Honduras and 17 to Guatemala. Authorities say 19 of the 40 lifeless had been from Guatemala, however two our bodies had been nonetheless within the course of of getting their identities confirmed.
A further 11 Guatemalans had been injured within the hearth.
Guatemalan International Minister Mario Búcaro accompanied the our bodies, which had been to be taken overland to their hometowns in 9 completely different provinces.
Some our bodies of Salvadoran migrants had been returned to El Salvador final week. To date, 31 our bodies have been despatched again to their house nations.
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