A federal judge has sentenced Hugo Amed Schultz, the former PAN mayor of Chínipas, Chihuahua, to eight years in prison, who admitted his responsibility in the murder of journalist Miroslava Breach Velducea. Although the penalty for this crime in Chihuahua is 25 years, Schultz received a reduced sentence for his confession.
The murder of Miroslava Breach Velducea, a recognized journalist for her investigative work on corruption and narcopolitics, has been described as a serious attack on freedom of expression and democracy. The possible release of Schultz after serving only four years of his sentence has raised concerns regarding justice in this case.
Civic Proposal has reported on an upcoming hearing at the Federal Criminal Justice Center in Chihuahua, scheduled for May 6, where the possibility of granting parole to Hugo Amed Schultz will be discussed. Although this event will not address his responsibility, as he has previously acknowledged it, a media campaign has been observed to sow doubts about this.
The criminal responsibility of Amed Schultz is not in doubt, and he was the first political actor convicted for the murder of a journalist in Mexico. Miroslava Breach Velducea was murdered in March 2017 due to her journalistic work that disturbed politicians and organized crime by documenting and denouncing corruption and narcopolitics in Chihuahua.
Although only Schultz and one of the material authors, Juan Carlos Moreno Ochoa, have been sentenced after eight years for the crime, it has been pointed out that at least five people were involved in the murder of the journalist. Schultz provided information to alleged accomplices, including the mastermind and the material executors of the crime.
