Cuauhtémoc Mayoralty asks to send to MP those who vandalized headquarters in protest of Cuba; SSC does not present them as the right to demonstrate was prioritized

Alessandra Rojo de la Vega, the mayor of Cuauhtémoc, reported that two groups demonstrated in support of Cuba, but one group vandalized the facade of the municipal building. The building's facade is protected by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INBAL). Rojo de la Vega requested that the auxiliary police hand over those responsible for the vandalism to the Public Ministry (MP).

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Today, two groups arrived to demonstrate in the Cuauhtémoc Mayor's office esplanade. The first came to express their admiration for the Cuban regime and to ask that Mexico follow that path. They have the right to say it, although I will never defend a system that censors, persecutes, and imprisons those who think differently.

However, the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) indicated that the situation caused friction between police and protesters. After assessing the context of the expression, the SSC decided not to present the individuals to the MP, emphasizing the right to protest. The SSC is responsible for police command in the area, and mayoralties can contract auxiliary police for various tasks.

Rojo de la Vega stated on her social media account that the first group peacefully expressed admiration for the Cuban regime and advocated for Mexico to follow its path, which she respects as their right, though she personally does not defend systems that censor or persecute dissent. The second group, however, she described as having "come to vandalize," covering their faces and damaging the historic building. She reiterated, "Protest is respected. Crimes are not. That is why they were detained and handed over to the Prosecutor's Office. In Cuauhtémoc, all ideas fit. What does not fit is violence."

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The second group did not come to protest. They came to vandalize. With their faces covered, they damaged the facade of the Cuauhtémoc Mayor's office, a historic building protected by INBAL. Protest is respected. Crimes are not. That is why they were detained and handed over to the Prosecutor's Office. In Cuauhtémoc, all ideas fit. What does not fit is violence.

Later, the SSC issued a statement clarifying that while the mayor's office ordered the apprehension of those who painted the building, a contextual assessment prioritizing rights led to the decision not to present them to the MP. The SSC also stated that the actions of the police officers involved would be reviewed. The incident highlights a tension between maintaining public order, protecting historical heritage, and upholding the right to freedom of expression.

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During the public expression, some participants defaced the building, prompting the mayor's office authorities to order their apprehension, which caused friction between the police and protesters.