They reported that Joaquín Velázquez, former technical assistant of Cruz Azul, was released

Joaquín Velázquez Elvira, former technical assistant of Cruz Azul, was released on Monday night, after five days locked up in the Central Altiplano prison for an investigation against him that began in 2018.

The former footballer of teams such as Puebla and Cruz Azul was accused of alleged organized crime and money laundering for more than 6 billion pesos. However, the authorities did not have enough evidence to link him to the trial, and he was therefore released.

According to journalist David Medrano, the defense of Veracruz had presented more than 50 pieces of evidence to prove that Velázquez Elvira was the victim of identity theft 8 years ago, so the person indicated would not be him.

A federal judge refused to link Joaquín Velázquez to the trial because the Attorney General's Office (FGR) did not provide sufficient evidence to presume the responsibility of the former technical assistant in these crimes, so the defendant left the maximum security prison.

So far, no authority has confirmed this information, details have only been given by different reports by journalists and local media and specialized in the source.

It should be recalled that the capture of today innocent was during the afternoon of last Tuesday, April 12, while he was on his way to the Azteca Stadium for the Cruz Azul match against Pumas for the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions League.

According to the statement released by the club, Joaquín Velázquez Elvira was apprehended by Mexico City authorities, around 19:00 hours, while traveling in his car on Periferico Sur Avenue.

This capture originated from a judicial process against him, initiated in 2018, of which Cruz Azul assured, “both the board of directors, and those of us who head the Administrative and Supervisory Councils of Cooperativa La Cruz Azul S.C.L., were unaware of”.

Because of these accusations by the authorities, it was decided to separate Velázquez Elvira from his duties as technical assistant. In addition, they indicated that it will be available to the competent authorities for the necessary investigations to be carried out.

“At all times, Cruz Azul places its trust in the institutions of our country, while calling on all the team's fans and the media as a whole, to maintain the presumption of innocence and fully respect the terms and deadlines of the judicial process,” the official statement said.

A day after his arrest, he was admitted to the Altiplano maximum security prison, located in the Mexican municipality of Almoloya de Juárez. The Office of the Attorney-General of the Republic pointed this out for the alleged commission of organized crime crimes and operations with resources of illicit origin.

Originally from the state of Veracruz, Joaquín was a professional player in the Mexican First Division and later, when he retired, he ventured into the technical direction of Mexican teams such as Puebla, Correcaminos FC, Toluca and Cruz Azul.

Although he had moved away from the courts, he began a new stage very close to them as he ventured into the preparation of the teams. In 2016 he arrived at the Coras de Tepic club, from the Second Division of the Liga MX, where he had his chance to become a technical assistant.

He later approached the Toluca club of the First Division and became an assistant for the 2019 Clausura. To the next tournament he migrated to Puebla, a club he retained affection for. That same year it coincided with the Peruvian Reynoso's mandate, so he became an element of his coaching staff; that was how he arrived at Cruz Azul in 2021 and was part of the ninth celestial championship.

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