The mayor of Ixtaczoquitlán was arrested for murder of journalist in 2021

The Veracruz Attorney General's Office (FGE) reported on the arrest of the municipal president of Ixtaczoquitlán for his alleged involvement in the murder of journalist Jacinto Romero Flores.

This was announced by the authorities through a statement on their social networks, who completed the arrest warrant against Patricio Alejandro de los Santos Rosas, who is mayor of that municipality in the state of Veracruz.

De los Santos Rosas is a politician belonging to the Citizen Movement (MC) party, who is known, according to local media of the entity, as the “Munra”.

The court order was completed for the crime of qualified homicide, in addition to being identified as the main source of violence in the municipality and high mountain area of Veracruz, comprised by the municipalities of Orizaba, Camerino Z. Mendoza, Aculzingo, Nogales and Ixtaczoquitlán.

Likewise, it is linked to the extinct Los Zetas cartel and now to the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG), according to information from local media.

To which the FGE emphasized that respecting its human rights and due process, it will be presented at an initial hearing before the judge of oral criminal trial and procedure of the judicial district of Xalapa, based in Pacho Viejo, to define its legal status.

This is the fourth arrest in the journalist's murder case, since in November 2021 the FGE apprehended Casto “N”, Ana Laura “N” and Roberto Trinidad de la Cruz, who was also president of the municipality for the Morena party.

The three were linked to the trial and remain in the medium security prison of La Toma, in Amatlán de los Reyes.

On the other hand, the journalist's murder occurred on August 19, 2021 when he was driving in his car in the municipality of Ixtaczoquitlán, Veracruz.

According to Romero Flores' son's statements, the reporter and broadcaster went out of his way to help a person as part of his work as an activist. It was then that he was intercepted by several armed persons, who opened fire on him.

The announcer of Ori Stereo and the social media program Radio Ixtac Online, was found inside the red unit with signs of “press”. Germán Romero, the journalist's son, also stated that days before the murder, he had received threats because of his journalistic work.

The State Commission for the Care and Protection of Journalists (CEAPP) condemned the attack and demanded clarification of the facts. Days later, the European Union also condemned the crime, noting that it demonstrates “the worrying degree of violence and intimidation faced by many journalists in Mexico.”

On the other hand, the organization Article 19 assured that the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is the most violent against journalists and media communication since it has been registered. Since the murder of 33 journalists (eight so far in 2022) and the disappearance of two more were recorded.

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