Sara Irene Herrerías Guerra, head of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Human Rights (FEMDH) in Mexico, is running for a Supreme Court Justice position despite overseeing a high rate of impunity (over 90%) in various cases. This includes cases involving forced disappearances, crimes against migrants, crimes against freedom of expression, and torture. Animal Político's investigation revealed a low resolution rate of cases in several of the nine areas under her purview. For instance, only 1.84% of disappearance cases were presented to a judge. Similarly, only 1.29% of torture cases were judicialized.
Herrerías Guerra defends her record, stating that investigations are complex. She claims to work with victims, strives to be empathetic, and understands the importance of hearing all sides. However, data provided to Animal Político revealed that in regards to crimes against journalists, the impunity rate reached 98.27%. She claims that 200 people have been indicted for such crimes and that alternative means of conflict resolution have been used in numerous instances.
Herrerías Guerra has been in her position since 2016, first as subprocurator and then as prosecutor. Her appointment in 2019 was made despite calls for a more transparent selection process. She cites her long career as a public servant, including roles in prevention, prosecution, and human rights protection, as qualifications for the Supreme Court position.
The report from Article 19 highlights the significant challenges faced by the FGR in investigating and prosecuting crimes against freedom of expression. Despite commitments to justice for affected journalists, progress has been minimal. Article 19 argues that impunity sends a message that aggressors won't be held accountable.