Prosecutor Sara Herrerías highlights progress in historical massacres of migrants

Gustavo Castillo Garcia

Newspaper La Jornada
Monday, August 29, 2022, p. 6

Cases considered historic, such as the massacres of migrants that occurred in the municipality of San Fernando, Tamaulipas, in 2010 and 2011, which had a combined total of more than 260 victims, and the execution of 49 people in Cadereyta, Nuevo León, in 2012, show progress substantial with obtaining convictions in 24 files and the identification of victims, said Sara Irene Herrerías Guerra, head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Human Rights of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR).

In interview with the daythe official pointed out that with the transformation of the Attorney General’s Office to a prosecutor’s office, and under the direction of Alejandro Gertz Manero, they now work focused on each folder or complaint moving forward with the necessary steps and not wasting timeFor this reason, new investigation mechanisms have been launched in cases of people reported as missing, as well as in complaints for the crimes of torture and human rights violations.

-How many cases do you have in integration due to forced disappearance?

–Approximately 1,700, between folders and preliminary investigations. In this administration we are focused on the analysis of each case and which are the ones in which there are elements to consign, although there are files that are 10 years old or more.

“Based on the Forced Disappearance Law (whose last reform was published in the Official Journal of the Federation on May 13, 2022) extended our power to investigate and work more closely with the groups that search for the disappeared throughout the Republic, and in this way check if it is possible to attract the cases, because the relatives have indicated that the authority local is the one that is involved in these crimes.

When it comes to matters that are entirely local correspondence, a public ministry is sent to review the file and we give a technical opinion and we also work in collaboration with state authorities.

Interviewed in her office, Herrerías Guerra, who has served as head of the area in charge of human rights since 2016, comments that her prosecutor’s office is investigating cases that shook public opinion, such as the massacres that occurred in the municipalities of San Fernando and Cadereyta, which at the time they were in the hands of the Special Prosecutor for Organized Crime.

“We created a single unit to investigate these cases and in these works they have joined the Argentine forensic anthropologists and members of the Foundation for Justice, which has allowed progress in the identification of the victims.

“In the case of Cadereyta, where no consignment had previously been made, arrest warrants have been obtained.

“From 2019 to date there are already 24 convictions obtained by this prosecution. There are also seven ongoing investigations.

“We also have other investigation folders for cases of kidnapping against migrants, in total 893 investigation folders for disappearance are unburdened, but there are more than a thousand previous investigations that come from previous administrations that have not been concluded.

At the same time, we are working more dynamically on the files of the new justice system in cases of migrant smuggling, migrant kidnapping, they are being prosecuted day by day and there are already results in terms of the processes established.

–How many cases of femicide does the FGR deal with?

-The crime of femicide is very difficult for it to be federal jurisdiction because it has to be committed by a public servant in the exercise of his functions. The problem lies in the powers of attraction.

In the new law of the Special Prosecutor for Crimes of Violence Against Women and Trafficking in Persons, there was no power left to attract crimes from the common jurisdiction, and the only case that is being investigated in this context is that of Carla Póntigo, from San Luis Potosihe explained.

–In terms of human rights, what are the crimes that you most need to know about?

-Most of the complaints have to do with cases of disappearance and kidnapping, in this case they are related to migrant smuggling.

One of the cases we are investigating is the accident that occurred in the state of Chiapas, in which 56 migrants died. The cases have increased, I believe that this is due to the increase in migrant caravans. In this case there are already arrest warrants and we want to get to the real culprits.