Chelis defended Joaquín “N”, former detained assistant of Cruz Azul: “It's a lie”

Hours after Cruz Azul fell on the court of the Estadio Azteca against the Pumas of the National University, in the semifinal of the Concacaf Champions League, the celestes confirmed the arrest of Joaquín “N”, who was Juan Reynoso's assistant coach. Hours later rumors began to spread about the reasons for his apprehension, although José Luis Sánchez Solá, former coach of the Liga MX, pointed out that the versions were false.

Through his verified Twitter account, the iconic helmsman of La Franja de Puebla defended the character he coincided with in the 2012 Apertura tournament in Correcaminos de la Liga de Ascenso. “Very strong things are being said about the case of Joaquín Velázquez. I put my hands on the fire that everything is a lie. It is not professional or human what is being published”, he posted on @Elchelis's profile.

And it is that on the afternoon of this Wednesday, April 13, 2022, various media confirmed that the former footballer was transferred to the Maximum Security Prison of the Altiplano for the investigation of crimes of a federal nature. According to journalist Rubén Beristáin, Joaquín “N” is being investigated by the Deputy Attorney's Office Specialized in Organized Crime Investigation (SEIDO).

Sources close to the case consulted by media such as ESPN and Mediotiempo reported that the offences for which he was allegedly being investigated correspond to crimes against health, such as drug trafficking and drug trafficking, as well as the management of resources of illicit origin and organized crime. The alleged charges would have been included in the investigation kit that was opened against him in 2018. According to journalist Francisco Arredondo, there were 29 more involved in the case.

On the other hand, journalist Tania Ventimilla said that “Joaquín Velázquez, an assistant to Cruz Azul, is involved with a criminal group that between 2013 and until December 2018 moved a large amount of money through front companies in banking institutions”, on her Twitter profile @Ventimilla.

The former player was reportedly arrested before the Cruz Azul squad left the concentration hotel. According to Francisco Arredondo, Joaquín “N” came down from his room in the elevator in the company of another player. When he prepared to join the rest of the group, a group of policemen attached to the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) separated him from the rest of the men and notified him of his arrest.

Reynoso's absence on the bench was noticed during the semifinal dispute. The Peruvian coach himself even addressed the issue during his post-match media appearance, where he expressed his surprise at not knowing the investigation process that his team member was undergoing. For its part, the institution issued a statement.

“As a result of the foregoing and in full commitment to order, legality, our institutional values and responsibility towards our fans as a whole, we would like to inform the retirement of Joaquín Velázquez Elvira from his duties as a technical assistant to the Cruz Azul Sports Club, while we put ourselves at the service of the authorities competent for all clarifications that may be necessary”, reads the document disseminated on social networks.

Joaquín “N” is originally from the state of Veracruz and spent his career as a professional footballer. In his career he played for teams such as Puebla, Santos Laguna, Lobos BUAP and the Veracruz Red Sharks. Finally, in Los Correcaminos he began his facet as a prop, although with the Coras de Tepic he was an assistant for the first time. The former player was a key player for Cruz Azul to win the championship in 2021.

KEEP READING: