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Key witness in 'El Mayo' kidnapping, Cuén murder case appears in closed hearing
🇲🇽 Mexico /Crime & Justice

Key witness in 'El Mayo' kidnapping, Cuén murder case appears in closed hearing

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Fausto Corrales Rodríguez, a key witness in the kidnapping of drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and the murder of Héctor Melesio Cuén Ojeda, appeared in a closed-door hearing.
  • The Attorney General's Office (FGR) is formally accusing Corrales Rodríguez of cover-up and making false statements to authorities.
  • The hearing, held at the maximum-security Altiplano prison, was closed to the media at the FGR's request, citing national security concerns.

Fausto Corrales Rodríguez, identified as a crucial witness in the alleged kidnapping of drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and the murder of Héctor Melesio Cuén Ojeda, appeared before a judge in a private hearing at the Altiplano maximum-security prison. The Attorney General's Office (FGR) requested the hearing be closed to the media, citing national security, a move that Corrales Rodríguez's defense team supported.

The FGR intends to formally accuse Corrales Rodríguez of cover-up and making false statements to authorities. Investigations suggest Corrales Rodríguez was with Cuén Ojeda on July 25, 2024, when Cuén Ojeda was allegedly killed and Zambada was kidnapped at a ranch outside Culiacán, Sinaloa.

According to the FGR, Corrales Rodríguez provided contradictory statements and withheld truthful information about the events. Prosecutors believe he aimed to distort the facts and mislead authorities, hindering the investigation into the killings and kidnapping. Corrales Rodríguez was arrested in Mexico City and subsequently transferred to the Altiplano prison.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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