Victims of Violent Police Attack in Cancún Triumph in Legal Battle

Thirteen victims of a violent police attack in Cancún have won a lawsuit due to violations of due process. The attack occurred on the night of November 9, 2020, and the ruling was granted by the Seventh District Court of Quintana Roo.

The court's decision means that the local Congress must nullify an agreement made on December 9, 2021. This agreement was a delayed response to a recommendation from the State Human Rights Commission of Quintana Roo (CDHEQROO).

The ruling also orders the Human Rights Commission of the XVII Legislature to set a new date for the municipal president of Benito Juarez to appear. The victims will also take part in this hearing, which is scheduled for June 5, as announced by Wendy Galarza, Maria Oronzor, and Julian Ramirez, members of the 9N Victims' Committee.

The president of the CEDHQROO, Omega Ponce, has been instructed to inform the 13 victims about evidence provided by the municipality of Benito Juarez. This evidence was submitted past the deadline, and Ponce must also update the victims on the status of the recommendation issued on November 30, 2020.

This recommendation relates to the events of November 9, 2020, when police officers opened fire on protesters. The protesters were demonstrating against the femicide of Bianca Alejandrina, known as "Alexis". The incident, which involved torture and sexual abuse, shocked Cancún and had national and international repercussions.

Julian Ramirez, a member of the 9N Victims' Committee, recalled the severity of the events: "November 9 was marked as the greatest repression in the history of this city and this state. It's incredible that to this date we, the victims, have to be here demanding justice and dignity."

Judge Darío Alejandro Villa Arnaíz's ruling, related to indirect protection 1559/2021, states that the actions of the Legislative Power, the CEDHQROO, and other officials harmed the rights of the victims. Wendy Galarza explained that the State Human Rights Commission responded to the recommendation in an untimely manner, ignored key points, and failed to consider the victims.

The lawsuit was originally filed in December 2021 and, after several legal proceedings, was ruled in favor of the victims in November 2023. The Human Rights Commission of the Congress and the CEDHQROO must now set a new date for the appearance.

"We won this lawsuit almost three years later," said Galarza. Ramirez criticized the bureaucracy and corruption they encountered and warned that if their demands are not met, the victims will blockade Cancún's hotel area.