Merida, Yucatan — Yucatan state authorities have arrested four of their own for the sexual abuse and murder of a young man. The governor of Yucatán, Mauricio Vila, reported the capture of four municipal police of Merida for their alleged participation in the death of José Eduardo Ravelo.
“I regret the events that occurred against the young JERE from Veracruz. I inform you that the municipal policemen presumed responsible for this crime have already been captured and we will apply the full extent of the law,” he posted on social media.
Vila expressed his condolences to the Ravelo family and offered the support of his government through the State Commission for Attention to Victims and the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Yucatán (FGE), which is investigating the events. “In our state there is no room for impunity and justice will be done with the full weight of the law,” he emphasized.
The four Municipal Police agents of Merida were taken into custody after the mother of José Eduardo Ravelo arrived at City Hall with the remains of her son inside a coffin, requesting a meeting with the governor.
In a statement, the Prosecutor’s Office said that elements of the State Investigation Police (PEI) of the Ministry of Public Security (SSP) executed arrest warrants against four individuals for their probable participation in crimes that resulted in the death of the young man, noting that the detainees were agents of the Municipal Police of Merida.
“After learning of the complaint, the SSP and the FGE immediately began the investigation to gather the evidence and integrate the corresponding file,” for which the arrest warrants issued by the First Judicial District of the Accusatory and Oral Criminal Justice System, they said.
“The state authorities had the cooperation of the Municipality of Merida at all times to clarify the facts,” the agency reported.
According to the mother, the young man died from injuries caused after he was detained, beaten and sexually abused by municipal police on July 22. She said that her son was walking in a park when a group of police officers arrested him because they thought he was suspicious.
At the time of his statement, José Eduardo Ravelo said he didn’t feel well, so he was reviewed by a doctor who certified that the young man had been physically and sexually assaulted. He was immediately transferred to a hospital where doctors found that he had a punctured lung and brain damage. He died on August 3.
His mother said he had left his native Veracruz to move to Yucatan to get a job.
