The Veracruz state Congress voted to strip the legal immunity, or fuero, from two municipal presidents affiliated with the Movimiento Ciudadano (MC) party, according to La Jornada. The action, reported on Thursday, targets the mayors of Úrsulo Galván and Ixhuatlán and links them to separate cases involving a disappearance and a killing.
La Jornada reports that the removal of procedural immunity allows authorities to pursue legal action against the two officials. One of the mayors is specifically connected to the murder of journalist Roxana Guzmán, a case that has drawn significant regional attention. The other mayor faces allegations tied to a disappearance case in the state.
The decision by the Veracruz legislature came despite efforts by the MC party to block the measure. According to reports aggregated by Yahoo News, MC had appealed to the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) in an attempt to prevent the imminent stripping of immunity for its members. Those efforts did not stop the congressional vote.
The desafuero process removes the legal protections that shield elected officials from prosecution while in office. With that protection gone, state prosecutors can now formally investigate and potentially charge the two mayors. The move is a significant escalation in the legal proceedings against the officials, who have not yet been convicted of any crime.
The case involving Roxana Guzmán has been a focal point for press freedom advocates in Mexico, where violence against journalists remains a persistent concern. The outcome of the proceedings against the two mayors will be closely watched in Veracruz, as will any potential legal challenges to the legislature's vote.
