Mexican authorities have arrested Gildardo Lopez Astudillo, an alleged cartel chief connected to the disappearance of 43 students a decade ago. Known as “El Gil,” Lopez Astudillo was detained on charges of organized crime and taken to a maximum-security prison. This is his second arrest since his cartel was accused of orchestrating the students’ disappearance in 2014 in Iguala. The case sparked protests and a national outcry.
Lopez Astudillo was first arrested in 2015 but released in 2019 due to illegally obtained evidence. He later became a protected witness, providing details about the criminal group’s role in the disappearance. The 10th anniversary of the tragedy is approaching, leading to renewed calls for justice.
The students were believed to have been kidnapped by the Guerreros Unido cartel, working with corrupt police, while traveling to a demonstration. Their fate remains unclear, but a truth commission labeled the case a “state crime” with military involvement. Dozens of suspects, including military personnel and a former attorney general, have been arrested or ordered to be detained, though only a few victims’ remains have been identified. The investigation continues to uncover the truth about the missing students.
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