Claudia Sheinbaum’s government has opened the door to calling former President Enrique Peña Nieto to testify in the Ayotzinapa case, in case evidence is gathered that points to the former president, said the lawyer for the parents, Vidulfo Rosales, after his second meeting with the president.
After two and a half hours of dialogue between the parents of the 43 student teachers and the President of the Republic, lawyer Rosales assured that a new investigation group will be created that will prioritize the use of technology to gather evidence that can clarify the disappearance of the students; and in case these involve Peña Nieto, he will be asked to testify about the events.
“That issue was put on the table and she said that if this new investigation team, and if the technology provides elements in such a way that the president can be called, it will be done,” Rosales said.
The dialogue between the families of the students and the federal government was resumed with the arrival of the Sheinbaum administration, since in the last months of the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador the relationship between both parties became tense.
“The witnesses are weak”
For two and a half hours, the parents of the 43 youths spoke with Sheinbaum, the Secretary of the Interior, Rosa Icela Rodríguez; the Undersecretary of Population, Human Rights and Migration, Arturo Medina; and the head of the specialized Unit for the Ayotzinapa Case of the FGR, Rosendo Gómez Piedra.
The authorities informed the interested parties that a new investigation unit will be formed led by the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic (FGR) and the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) and will have as its main axis the analysis of cell phones and data related to the case.
Likewise, the Mexican Army files that the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (IGIE) and the relatives have pointed out as key to advancing the investigations will be obtained.
“The heart of the investigation is being taken up again, which had already been left aside in the last stage of the previous administration,” said Rosales. “The President said —and we agree on that point— that one cannot depend on witnesses in the main, because witnesses are often weak, manipulable or changeable in a statement, and instead scientific evidence has more honesty, and I believe that this new investigation team wants to reach that point.”
At the same time, the Commission for Truth and Access to Justice in the Ayotzinapa Case (COVAJ) that was established during the López Obrador administration will continue to operate.
After the meeting, Emiliano Navarrete, father of the student José Ángel Navarrete, said in an interview that although they expected that concrete progress would be presented at the meeting, they see a willingness from the President to resume the investigations.
“I think that if we wanted to start from a basis of trust, I think we have to start from there and go with the accusations that there are towards several people involved in the disappearance of our children, and if there are elements of proof towards the person, then we will proceed to continue the investigation against any person, or official, or police officer.”
International courts for Zerón’s extradition
With respect to the extradition of Tomás Zerón, former head of the Criminal Investigation Agency who is a fugitive in Israel, Rosales did not rule out going to international courts to get the former official to testify.
“(Sheinbaum) left open the possibility that we can explore another path, for example an international court, that we can see that possibility (…) so that it is not only a matter of diplomacy.”
Alleged person involved in Ayotzinapa case arrested
This morning, the federal government announced the arrest of Martín Alejandro “N”, alias “Kamala”, who is accused of the crimes of organized crime and forced disappearance.
According to the authorities, the case file contains statements by “Kamala” in which he admitted to having been responsible for shooting the students, on orders of “Choky”, in addition to allegedly participating in the attack against the student teachers on September 26th and 27th, 2014.
Martín Alejandro “N” had been arrested previously, but was released in 2018.
Rosales said before the meeting with Sheinbaum that they expected to receive more information on the subject, since “there are many detainees, but all, most of these detainees have to do with the issue of Historical Truth.”
“If several people are being arrested, but they are linked to this investigation that has already been dismissed, an irregular investigation, given up on, then I think we are not making progress.”
Original article by Tamara Mares at Animal Político, February 28, 2025.
Translated by Schools for Chiapas.