Authorities in Mexico have made a significant breakthrough in the case of the disappearance of 43 students, arresting alleged cartel leader Gildardo Lopez Astudillo. Lopez Astudillo, known as “El Gil”, has been detained on charges of organized crime and taken to a maximum security prison. This is the second time he has been arrested in connection to the case since the cartel he allegedly leads was accused of orchestrating the students’ disappearance in 2014. The arrest comes just weeks before the 10th anniversary of the students’ disappearance, prompting relatives to plan demonstrations.
In 2015, Lopez Astudillo was first arrested but later released in 2019 after a judge found the evidence against him was obtained illegally. He later served as a protected witness, providing alleged details about the criminal group’s involvement in the disappearance. The students were believed to have been kidnapped by the Guerreros Unido drug cartel, in collusion with corrupt police, while on their way to a political demonstration in Mexico City. The case has been branded a “state crime” by a truth commission, with responsibility also attributed to the military.
Arrests have been made or ordered for dozens of suspects, including military personnel and a former attorney general who led a controversial investigation into the mass disappearance. To date, the remains of only a few of the victims have been identified, leaving many unanswered questions about the fate of the missing students. The arrest of Lopez Astudillo is a significant development in the case that has haunted Mexico for years.
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