Chihuahua Governor concludes march against corruption

Chihuahua Governor Javier Corral concluded this Sunday his march against corruption – the Caravan for Dignity – in the streets of Mexico City. The march was originally intended as a protest to demand the extradition of the former Chihuahua Governor César Duarte – accused of embezzlement – and the federal funds allegedly withheld for the investigation launched during Corral's administration against high-ranking officials of the center-right Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) allegedly involved in Duarte's scheme.

Corral's caravan traveled over 4,000 kilometers – from Juárez City to Mexico City – before finally arriving at the Juárez Hemicycle Monument, where the Governor gave a speech on the agreement his administration reached yesterday with the Ministry of the Interior.

Last night, the Minister of the Interior, Alfonso Navarrete and Governor Corral announced they had agreed to issue the extradition request for César Duarte through Mexico's Office of the Attorney General (PGR), in addition to providing public funds for the state, for an amount of MXN$ 900 billion.

Corral qualified the agreement as a triumph for the people of Chihuahua.

“Our caravan has reached its end but not our movement,” said Corral, who rejected the claims that the transfer of Alejandro Gutiérrez , former deputy secretary-general of the PRI, to a federal prison was part of a negotiation.

“We have never negotiated, and we never will negotiate, the Justice Chihuahua demands; Gutiérrez will remain in preventive custody pursuant to that set forth by the judge to ensure he will be brought before the court that will continue with the criminal proceeding, a condition that hasn't changed. Which prison he is in isn't important, so long as this condition remains.”

Moreover, Corral announced that Mexico's Office of the Attorney General dismissed yesterday the fines they had previously issued against Chihuahua officials for the alleged accusations of torture against Gutiérrez.

The transfer of Gutiérrez to a federal prison shall be done following a revision of the case by the international organization, Human Rights Watch, pursuant to the Istambul protocol.

Governor Corral confirmed that in the extradition process of César Duarte, the government of Chihuahua will receive the support of Mexico's Office of the Attorney General.

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