translated from Spanish: Alberto Fernandez on Facundo Castro: “Worry because it was in democracy”

This afternoon, the president spoke of the disappearance of Facundo Castro, the young man who was last seen on April 30 at a police checkpoint on his way to his partner’s home. “We all are concerned because it’s about the disappearance of a person in democracy,” Alberto Fernández said, in an interview with Public TV. He also referred to the investigation: “It must be ensured that it is investigated accordingly. It is not possible that in the midst of democracy, and in a rule of law, institutional violence will settle among us.” On the other hand, the intense rakings continue and today the Federal Prosecutor’s Office No. 1 of Bahia Blanca issued a statement to inform the investigative measures carried out. Through the site Fiscales.gob.ar it was reported that they received several testimonial statements and that investigative work will be expanded in the General Cerri area 10 kilometers west of Bahía Blanca following the testimony of a woman, whose identity is reserved. Also, the Federal People Search System of the Ministry of Security of the Nation was required to “inform if there is the possibility of offering a reward to those who provide relevant data in the search for Facundo Astudillo Castro”.” On Wednesday, July 15, the ordered surveys were carried out on the Chevrolet Corsa Classic vehicle, FYK 677 domain, and the Toyota Hilux police mobile, order 22,788, PQH 491 domain, which consisted of eye inspection, the lifting of physical (traces) and biological samples (DNA, blood stains, etc.), photos and filming,” they reported. After receiving this report, the White Bay Delegation of the Argentine Federal Police was also requested to take DNA samples from Cristina Castro Alaniz, Facundo’s mother. “The object of the measure is for the Chemical Laboratory Division to perform the corresponding collation, aimed at determining whether the detected traces belong to Facundo Astudillo Castro. Further studies were also required to clarify preliminary conclusions,” the statement said. On the other hand, the prosecutor’s office ordered the Bahía Blanca Scientific Cabinet of the Argentine Federal Police to conduct an expert on the hijacked phones, using the UFED technology -forensic data extraction device -, and subsequently an analysis of the content of relevance to the investigation. The Scientific Cabinet was also requested to practice an expert on the Book of Guards abducted at Major Buratovich’s police station. The objective of the study is to determine whether the annotations for 30 April last were amendments, scrapes, blurs, missing leaves or any other type of signal that would suggest that there was an alteration of its content.” The prosecutor’s office required the Directorate of Judicial Assistance in Complex Crimes and Organized Crime (DaJuDeco) to consult with telephone companies, update timely requested information and check with mobile phone companies if lines were requested on behalf of Facundo Astudillo Castro,” the statement added. 

Original source in Spanish