The purported leader of a notorious Mexican kidnapping ring walked free from a maximum security prison after nearly 20 years of detention. This development occurred a few hours after a judge stated that the evidence presented to substantiate the charges against him was insufficient.
Interior Secretary Rosa Icela RodrÃguez offered a chronicle of appeals, injunctions, and complaints filed throughout the years of Israel Vallarta’s imprisonment on Friday. His case, charged with organized crime and kidnapping, never reached a verdict. Those charges were dismissed by a judge on Thursday.
Vallarta was first detained in 2005, along with his girlfriend, French citizen Florence Cassez. Cassez was later convicted and sentenced to 60 years in prison on charges of assisting a kidnapping ring, which strained diplomatic relations between Paris and Mexico City. She admitted living with Vallarta on a ranch where kidnapped victims were held, yet maintained her innocence, asserting she was oblivious to their presence. One victim identified her as a kidnapper, but by voice only and not by sight.
The day after Cassez was arrested, police compelled her to participate in a staged rescue operation on the ranch to liberate hostages and apprehend suspects. This event was covered by the media and widely broadcast on television. The significance of this should not be overlooked, as in January of 2013, the Supreme Court reversed Cassez’s conviction, citing procedural and rights violations. Subsequently, she was released, and her case garnered significant attention in France.
As of now, the Attorney General’s Office has not responded regarding whether it plans to appeal the decision to release Vallarta. This raises important questions about the legal proceedings related to organized crime in Mexico and their international implications.