Defense Secretariat denies link to academy where student died

Mexico's Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) has asserted it does not possess the authority to authorize, supervise, inspect, or regulate the operations of militarized educational institutions. This declaration comes in the wake of the death of Dafne Zapata, a young woman who died at a militarized academy in Tamaulipas. The National Defense Secretariat, led by General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, issued a brief statement clarifying its position.

According to Sedena, its internal regulations, issued by the Presidency of the Republic in December 2008, do not grant it jurisdiction over such academies. The secretariat explicitly stated that it has no connection to the "Marina Doenitz" Militarized Academy in Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas, nor any other similar establishment. This clarification aims to distance the federal defense body from responsibility concerning the academy's functioning and the tragic incident.

The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has urged an investigation into Dafne Zapata's death and called for a review of the regulations governing militarized camps. The circumstances surrounding Zapata's death at the Tamaulipas camp have raised serious concerns, prompting calls for greater oversight of these types of educational facilities.