Judges Order Nestora Salgado's Release, But She Is Held on 3 New Charges Alfredo Mendez and Jose Antonio Roman - La Jornada
go to original March 8, 2016

Nestora Salgado: ‘La Comandata’ organized locals to rise up against organized crime in Olinalá, in the state of Guerrero. (Free Nestora Campaign/freenestora.org)

Update: Nestora Salgado Re-Arrested - Legal Proceeding Advances (Mexico Voices)

Yesterday, three judges in Tlapa, Guerrero, ordered the immediate release of Nestora Salgado, after ruling that the kidnapping charges brought against her more than two years ago are not proved. However, Salgado, coordinator of the Olinalá Community Police in the Mountain region of Guerrero, could not leave Tepepan Women's Prison [Mexico City] last night because at the last minute the Guerrero State Prosecutor notified her that she faces three new arrest warrants for felony crimes.

Government sources close to the case reported that the arrest warrants served on her last night were issued between October 2013 and December 2014 - two for alleged kidnappings and a third for an alleged murder for which Salgado is accused of being the mastermind.

In the course of the hearing of preliminary statement to be held today, Nestora and her lawyers will learn in detail the content of the new arrest warrants. Lawyer César Sandino Rivero, a member of Salgado's defense team, told this newspaper that he was confident that within 72 hours (which can be extended up to 144 hours) three new release orders will be issued to enable her release from prison.

On February 24, three judges who reviewed an appeal by the defense lawyer regarding the three kidnapping cases against Nestora Salgado ordered the regularization of the procedures [combining of the three cases], which concluded yesterday with the relevant release orders. Sandino Rivero informed La Jornada that Criminal Court 57, seated in Santa Martha Acatitla [Prison, Mexico City], notified Salgado directly of the release orders issued by the judges of Tlapa.

Regarding the release orders, the lawyer explained that of the three processes open for aggravated kidnapping, in two of them it was determined that the existence of crimes was not proved. On the third process, a just cause ruling was issued in Salgado's favor on grounds that her presumed responsibility was inadmissable.

Read the rest at Mexico Voices

Mexico Voices is a blogging endeavor aimed at raising the awareness of U.S. citizens regarding the destructive impact of the U.S. economic policy and the War on Drugs on Mexico — on its people, their economic and physical security and their human rights, on the nation’s dysfunctional justice system, and on the rule of law and Mexico’s fragile democracy. Visit the website at MexicoVoices.blogspot.mx

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