MEXICO CITY: Mexico’s government Wednesday slammed as “baseless” military wrongdoing alleged by the parents of 43 college students missing and feared dead, rejecting the possibility of an investigation.
Authorities say the 43 young men who were studying at a teacher’s college were abducted by Iguala police officers on September 26 and delivered to the Guerreros Unidos drug gang, whose henchmen confessed to killing them.
One student has been identified among charred remains found near Iguala, but relatives of the young men refuse to believe they all died.
Iguala’s former mayor, Jose Luis Abarca, will face kidnapping charges for the students’ abduction.
On Tuesday, parents of dozens of missing students called on authorities to investigate the military, while prosecutors said no soldiers were involved in the case that has shocked the nation.
“There is interest in fueling disrespect for the process, and in wanting to involve our army and our federal forces in the events in Iguala,” Interior Minister Miguel Osorio Chong said.
He slammed the parents’ allegations as “categorically… baseless.”
Vidulfo Rosales, a human rights lawyer representing the families, said 10 students, several police officers and members of a drug gang have implicated soldiers in the abduction of 43 aspiring teachers.
Parents and students tried to break into Iguala’s military compound on Monday, using a truck to storm through a gate before being repelled by soldiers using tear gas.
The interior minister said “we reject these attempts at provocation that have sought to involve our (federal) facilities, and our armed forces.” — AFP