The defense of the former official requested an extension of the constitutional term to resolve his legal situation, so it will be next April 4th when the judge decides whether to link him to the process or not. The judge ratified the precautionary measure of preventive prison, so the former official will remain confined in Federal Penitentiary Number 1, known as Altiplano, pending the continuation of the hearing. In a previous statement, the Tabasco Prosecutor's Office informed that with Bermúdez Requena, they now sum up 19 arrest warrants related to the case, after which 10 people have been linked to the process. The former official, who served as Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection of Tabasco between 2019 and 2021, also faces other criminal proceedings, involving crimes of both common jurisdiction and federal order. On March 24th, the three-month extension granted to conclude the complementary investigation for the charges of criminal association, kidnapping and aggravated extortion expired. From that date, the Tabasco Prosecutor's Office has a period of 15 business days to present the formal accusation before Judge Ramón Adolfo Brown Ruiz. The investigation, which originally had a duration of three months, was extended by judicial authorization. The former Secretary of Public Security of Tabasco, Hernán Bermúdez Requena, appeared before a control judge on Tuesday, in a hearing where the Prosecutor's Office accused him as the presumed responsible for the crime of enforced disappearance of persons. During the hearing for the formulation of the imputation, the Ministry of Public presented the evidence before the judicial authority. During that additional period, the Ministry of Public gathered evidence, testimonies, and other elements that will have to support the imputations in the next procedural stage. In case the accusation is presented within the deadline, the judge will convene an intermediate hearing, where the evidence will be reviewed and purged, and it will be determined which ones will be admitted in a potential oral trial. The defense of the former secretary has filed various legal resources that could influence the course of the process. This phase can extend for several months. Bermúdez Requena has been pointed out as the presumed leader of the criminal group 'La Barredora'. He was arrested in Paraguay, transferred to Mexico, and linked to the process in September 2025. The former official promoted an amparo lawsuit to avoid a possible extradition to the United States; however, this was dismissed by a federal judge for being improper. On this issue, the state prosecutor, Óscar Tonatiuh Vázquez Landeros, pointed out a few days ago that 'there is no knowledge' of a formal extradition request.
