Michoacán State Attorney General's Office secured 16 arrest warrants against former officials, including ex-governor Silvano Aureoles Conejo, for qualified homicide, abuse of authority, and torture in the 2017 Arantepacua operation.
The Michoacán State Attorney General's Office announced it obtained 16 arrest warrants against former state public servants, including ex-governor Silvano Aureoles Conejo. The warrants relate to events on April 5, 2017, in Arantepacua, Nahuatzen municipality, where state and municipal police entered to suppress a protest stemming from a territorial dispute with Capácuaro.
In the operation, officers opened fire on residents, killing four people including a minor, and detaining 38 who were later charged with homicide and injuries. The judicial authority granted the warrants following a robust investigation file with sufficient evidence gathered through field work and expert analysis.
The prosecutor's office reaffirmed its commitment to fighting impunity and addressing victims' demands. "These resolutions respond to the institutional commitment to combat impunity, guarantee access to justice, and promptly address victims' legitimate demands," it stated in an official release. It added: "In Michoacán, justice is built with facts."
Arantepacua's mostly indigenous community has demanded justice for nearly nine years through marches and protests. The Federal Attorney General's Office launched an investigation, but progress has been limited, prompting residents to form an autonomous security group called Kuáricha. Aureoles Conejo is currently a fugitive sought by investigators.
