A federal collegiate court overturned the ruling that had allowed the proceedings against Francisco González Arredondo, former prosecutor specializing in human rights in Chihuahua, to continue, determining that the charges against him lacked sufficient legal grounds to justify his being bound over for trial. The decision questions the manner in which the state prosecutor’s office presented the allegations of alleged psychological torture.
Between 2016 and 2021, González Arredondo headed the so-called Justice Operation for Chihuahua, an initiative implemented during Javier Corral’s administration aimed at probing an alleged scheme concerning the embezzlement of state resources tied to former Governor César Duarte. Following the transition in the state administration, he was detained in November 2022, shifting his role from spearheading anti-corruption probes to defending himself against criminal charges.
Released on July 30 within a 109-page ruling, the judicial decision indicates that the prosecutor’s office neglected to properly define the timeframe for the supposed actions linked to the former prosecutor. The magistrates noted that this vagueness impaired González Arredondo in his efforts to build a proper defense against the accusations.
One of the court’s main concerns involved the period used by the Public Prosecutor’s Office to establish when the alleged acts of torture occurred. The charges covered approximately 21 months, from February 2017 to November 2018, but did not identify specific dates, particular circumstances or the role the former prosecutor allegedly played in each of the incidents.
The judges also examined footage from the preliminary sessions of the case. They noted that defense counsel consistently requested exact dates for the incriminated actions, whereas the public ministry kept pointing exclusively to an extensive timeframe spanning almost twenty-four months. Consequently, the bench concluded that such vagueness severely impaired the guarantees of a proper defense.
The ruling also examined the testimony of the person who reported the alleged incidents. The judges found that the account provided an unclear chronology regarding the interrogations, threats and pressures described, without clearly establishing when they occurred or in which of those incidents González Arredondo allegedly participated directly.
The judicial panel, consisting of Marta Barrios, Mario Gámez and José Cornejo, determined that the shortcomings regarding the timeline and context of the purported incidents additionally hindered the assessment of the former prosecutor’s potential participation, thereby casting doubt on the existence of adequate proof to support the accusations.
The ruling also incorporated a communication from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico. During the amparo proceedings, the organization expressed concern that the criminal actions against González Arredondo could constitute retaliation related to his work investigating corruption. The court decided to add the communication to the case file for consideration in its ruling.
González Arredondo had remained in pretrial detention since November 2022 until a federal judge ordered in March 2023 that he continue the proceedings while free. The new ruling represents a setback for the prosecution and significantly changes the former prosecutor’s legal situation, given that his career was closely associated with the anti-corruption investigations carried out during Javier Corral’s administration.
The case has gained prominence within the broader discussion regarding the deployment of the criminal justice system against public officials and human rights defenders engaged in sensitive inquiries. The verdict underscores the duty of authorities to craft exact charges and uphold the procedural safeguards of individuals undergoing criminal prosecution.
Source: EL PAÍS — https://elpais.com/mexico/2026-08-08/la-justicia-desarma-el-caso-contra-el-fiscal-que-persiguio-la-corrupcion-en-chihuahua.html
