On Friday, March 13, Baja California Attorney General Ma. Elena Andrade Ramírez announced that her office will seek the maximum sentence for Ma. de la Luz Damián Andrade—alias “La Tía” (The Aunt) or “La Abuela” (The Grandmother)—an alleged member of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). This sentence could amount to as much as 120 years in prison.
“We possess evidence regarding the specific crime she is being charged with—or rather, the crimes—namely, the disappearance of persons and aggravated homicide. In this instance, the Attorney General’s Office will request the maximum penalty at the appropriate stage of the due process proceedings; this could exceed 120 years, independent of any new investigations that may subsequently be brought against her,” Andrade remarked during a press briefing held this Friday in Tijuana.
Furthermore, the Attorney General pledged that her office would work to ensure that “La Tía” is not released and remains deprived of her liberty. This commitment came in response to demands made by “searching mothers” belonging to the collective *Buscando a Tolano* (Searching for Tolano). On Thursday, March 12, members of the collective staged a sit-in outside the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) in the Zona Río district of Tijuana, demanding that their statements be formally recorded and seeking to prevent the woman—who stands accused of the crime of forced disappearance—from being set free.
“I wish to inform you that your voices will be heard by the specialized prosecutor—Attorney Dulce Carrillo. You have, in fact, already been heard once again by the coordinator, which is why you appeared more reassured. We will gather all the information you possess, and working collectively—in coordination with the State Attorney General’s Office—we will open additional investigations against this individual,” Andrade stated during the press briefing on Friday.
