Tabasco's State General Prosecutor's Office concluded the complementary investigation phase against Hernán Bermúdez Requena, former Security Secretary, on Tuesday and has 15 days to file the formal accusation. The ex-official, alleged leader of the criminal group 'La Barredora', faces charges of criminal association, aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated extortion.
Tabasco's State General Prosecutor's Office (FGE) ended the complementary investigation phase on Tuesday, March 24, in criminal case 213/2025 against Hernán Bermúdez Requena, also known as 'Comandante H' or 'El Abuelo'. Vice Prosecutor for Common Crimes, Gilberto Melquiades Miranda Díaz, stated that sufficient evidence, including testimonies from victims and protected witnesses, was gathered to build a solid accusation leading to a conviction. “We have plenty of elements to file the accusation… there are testimonies and evidence that allow us to move toward a conviction sentence,” Miranda Díaz told El Financiero. Bermúdez Requena remains detained in the federal Altiplano prison in Mexico State, as the FGE has 15 days to submit the formal accusation, initiating the intermediate phase that could last three to four months. In this stage, parties will determine evidence for the oral trial, which may be conducted virtually. Miranda Díaz disclosed at least four additional pending arrest warrants and an investigation line into the alleged disappearance and execution of police linked to the case. A parallel federal process is handled by the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic (FGR). The intermediate hearing on March 24 at Tabasco's Superior Court of Justice included Ramón Martínez, a gas station businessman kidnapped during Bermúdez's tenure. Journalist Gilberto Núñez noted the potential for evidence to implicate figures like Adán Augusto López, who appointed Bermúdez as Security Secretary while governor, though López denied any prior indications of illicit activities. Tabasco's government ruled out a formal U.S. extradition request, as confirmed by State Prosecutor Óscar Tonatiuh Vázquez.