Twenty people from Tijuana demand justice for relatives deceased in traffic accidents caused by drivers under the influence

ALFREDO AZCARATE VARELA
THE BAJA POST / EDITOR

A group of nearly 20 people from Tijuana gathered in protest at the Judicial Branch building in Mexicali’s Civic Center. All of them were relatives of people who died in traffic accidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and who, they claim, have benefited from the complicity of judges who, for “some reason,” have allowed these individuals to remain free.

The Judicial Reform has neither changed nor improved the situation for these families, whose lives were shattered by the deaths of loved ones at the hands of drunk drivers in Tijuana

Holding banners displaying photographs of their deceased relatives — all victims of fatal traffic accidents caused by irresponsible drivers who were intoxicated or under the influence of drugs — the demonstrators protested the way some judges apply the law in these cases. The protest took place in the lobby and reception area of the Judicial Branch building.

From there, they proceeded to the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies, located just steps away and they got to explain their case to the Legislkature President, Michel Sánchez Allende, they came from Tijuana but stated that there are several similar cases in Mexicali and all over the State.

Cases in which judges — also acting irresponsibly, according to the protesters — remove the element of intent from these fatal accidents and downgrade them to negligent homicide, even allowing defendants to remain free while awaiting trial, have created widespread impunity in these cases, leaving families permanently scarred.

Faced with the inaction of judges who refuse to prosecute the alleged offenders for intentional homicide and instead reduce the charges to involuntary manslaughter, most of these individuals are released. In some cases, they even mock the victims’ families.