Murillo Karam has been in police custody since Friday. He was arrested after the publication of a government commission report describing the whole matter as a “state crime” involving authorities at all levels. When he appeared in court, the former Attorney General defended the investigation into the disappearance of the students.
The students from Ayotzinapa disappeared on September 26, 2014 from the city of Iguala, where they wanted to “command” a bus to participate in a demonstration. According to the ongoing official investigation, they were allegedly kidnapped by police officers and handed over to a drug cartel. The students were shot for unknown reasons. Their bodies were burned in a garbage dump. Only the bodies of three students were identified.
Murillo Karam is the most important person arrested so far in this case. Hours after his arrest, Mexican justice also requested the arrest of 20 military personnel, 44 police officers, five officials and 14 members of the drug cartel for their involvement in the kidnapping. They are suspected of participation in a criminal organization and involvement in kidnapping, torture and murder.
Left-wing president Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador had promised to clarify the matter when he took office in 2019.