Asunción Nochixtlán’s municipal president, Lizbeth Victoria Huerta, and two more officials identified as J.R.M.M. and J.A.H.M., were arrested for their alleged involvement in the disappearance of activist Claudia Uruchurtu Cruz on 26 March.
The Attorney General’s Office of Oaxaca reported in a statement that state agents in collaboration with defense elements apprehended these three people on Friday, May 7 at Asunción Nochixtlán.
According to the authorities, Claudia Uruchurtu Cruz was last seen in the vicinity of the municipal palace of Nochixtlán on March 26, after participating in a demonstration.
The Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection @SSPCMexico, as well as @SEGOB_mx with @FISCALIA_GobOax in research for the disappearance of women in #AsunciónNochixtlán-PeimbertArturo @CONASE_mx @Busqueda_MX @movNDmx pic.twitter.com/pEyVH36OLp
— Attorney General’s Office (@FISCALIA_GobOax) May 7, 2021
The Process portal reports that the activist of British-Mexican origin was in protest to call for the freedom and medical care of Alfonso Avendaño, and to denounce alleged acts of corruption by the mayor of Morena.
Her family claims that she was gathering evidence against the municipal government and filed complaints with the Oaxaca Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office for embezzlement of public resources.
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According to El Universal, it is not the first such complaint against municipal president Lizbeth Victoria Huerta, who since 2020 has been accused of diversion of resources, making personalized propaganda with public money, threats, abuse of authority and now, enforced disappearance.
Following accusations of her responsibility in Claudia Uruchurtu’s case, the mayor noted that it was a “media lynching” and a “political foul play.”
She’s still missing.
The State Prosecutor’s Office said the investigation will have a gender perspective to “prioritize the particular needs of the victim and indirect victims” with “adherence to international protocols on the search and location of missing persons.”
Despite the arrests, Claudia Uruchurtu has been missing for 43 days with no clues as to her whereabouts or if she is still alive.
Find out: Mexico apologizes for three forced disappearances; father of one of them does not accept them and asks for research
Therefore, her family demands that the authorities find her.
“There may be more apprehensions, however, this does not give it back to us, now what follows is to find it, to know where it is and to know where it is,” they noted in statements collected by Process.
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