Julián LeBarón, independent candidate for Chihuahua governor, filed a complaint with the state prosecutor's office over threats against him and his family. The activist publicized the harassment on social media and called on Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch to intervene. LeBarón stated he will not withdraw from his campaign.
Julián LeBarón, prominent human rights activist and member of the LeBarón family, reported threats against himself, his father, and brothers after announcing his independent bid for Chihuahua governor. In an interview with Azucena Uresti, LeBarón said: “Creo que no le podemos permitir el silencio a estos criminales que tienen años golpeando a la gente, persiguiéndonos y amenazándonos, la neta ya estuvo bueno” (I think we can't allow these criminals who have been beating people, pursuing and threatening us for years to silence us anymore, enough is enough).The LeBarón family follows an agreement not to pay ransoms in kidnappings and to publicize threats. LeBarón filed the complaint with the Fiscalía General del Estado de Chihuahua and shared on social media a photo of the document along with screenshots of intimidating messages. One states: “Si le dices a alguien del mensaje nos vamos a ir contra tus hijos y dile a Julián que se baje de la campaña para gobernador sino también lo vamos a matar. No queremos gobierno en Gómez Farías, advertido estás” (If you tell anyone about this message we'll go after your children and tell Julián to drop his governor campaign or we'll kill him too. We don't want government in Gómez Farías, you've been warned).LeBarón described the harassment as reflective of the extortion and silencing faced by thousands of families in Chihuahua. “Aquí el mensaje es claro: quieren que nos callemos y que no incomodemos. Pero se equivocan. No me voy a bajar. No me voy a rajar” (The message is clear: they want us to shut up and not bother them. But they're wrong. I'm not stepping down. I'm not backing out), he said. In a social media post, he added: “No es normal. No es aceptable. Y no podemos seguir permitiéndolo. [...] La amenaza a uno es amenaza a todos” (It's not normal. It's not acceptable. And we can't keep allowing it. [...] A threat to one is a threat to all).LeBarón directly called on Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch, noting the threats are documented and reported, so he cannot ignore them.