“The Guardian of the Monarchs”: Governor of Michoacán asks to reopen the case of the death of environmentalist Homero Gómez

Four years after his tragic disappearance, the case of the protector of the monarch butterfly has resurfaced strongly after the premiere of the Netflix documentary

Homero Gómez González was a well-known environmental activist and defender of the monarch butterfly biosphere reserve in the state of Michoacán. He dedicated much of his life to the conservation of forests and the habitat of the monarch butterfly, a species that makes transcontinental migrations between Mexico, the United States and Canada, and whose population has decreased significantly in recent decades due to the loss of its habitat.
Four years after his disappearance and subsequent death, the name of Homero Gómez has gained strength again with the launch of the documentary “El Guardian de las Monarcas” recently released on the streaming platform Netflix, where not only is his work talked about butterflies, but also about the injustice that surrounds their case and the violence that plagues the habitat of these animals in Michoacán.

As administrator of the El Rosario sanctuary, one of the most important in the biosphere reserve area, Gómez González worked tirelessly to protect the fir forests where monarch butterflies hibernate each winter, promoting conservation and reforestation practices. He was also a leading promoter of ecotourism as a means of generating income for local communities and encouraging environmental conservation.

Homero Gómez González disappeared on January 13, 2020 and his body was found two weeks later, on January 29, inside a water well in the municipality of Ocampo.

His death has been surrounded by unknowns: from a kidnapping to an “insurgency” and crime, whether by criminal or political groups, due to his incessant fight against the illegal felling of trees.

The official cause of his death was determined as drowning, and the authorities denied that there were indications that Homero Gómez had been murdered, despite the fact that the family received calls from individuals who said they had kidnapped him, the threats he had already received and the trauma. craniocerebral injury that occurred before he drowned.

However, the sudden disappearance and subsequent death of Gómez González generated speculation and concerns about the possibility that he had been murdered due to his environmental activism, especially considering previous conflicts between environmental defenders and groups interested in the exploitation of natural resources in the region. Michoacán, and particularly the areas near monarch butterfly sanctuaries, have been scenes of tension due to illegal activities such as logging and land trafficking.

They ask to open an investigation

Following the release of the documentary, the governor of Michoacán, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, has requested the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) to reopen the investigation into the murder of environmentalist Homero Gómez, due to general dissatisfaction with the results of the investigations. previous.

During a press conference, where he was asked specifically about the Netflix documentary, Ramírez Bedolla emphasized the importance that, four years after the homicide, the corresponding authorities provide concrete results in the investigation.

The governor expressed his firm position that this crime should not go unpunished, noting the negative implications for Michoacán’s reputation and the effectiveness of the FGE if a satisfactory resolution is not achieved.

“It is necessary that the truth be known and that those responsible go to jail, since that is what the people of Michoacan want regarding this fact,” he stated.

In addition, Ramírez Bedolla said that 95% of what is presented in the documentary is true, underlining its relevance as it is based on real events that occurred in 2020, including the homicides recorded in the state.

What does the documentary reveal?

The recent premiere of the documentary has generated significant attention on social networks, highlighting controversial revelations about the last days of Homero Gómez.

According to information shared by relatives of Homero Gómez, the environmentalist held meetings with people close to former governor Silvano Aureoles Conejo. Among these interactions, a meeting stands out the day before his disappearance, which included a companion of Councilor Karina Alvarado, political figures and members of the PRD, who showed a persistent interest in finding him.

After his disappearance, Gómez’s personal devices, a cell phone and a digital tablet, were found in the possession of Alvarado’s companion, who days later would be murdered.

This discovery added mystery to the case, even more so after Gómez’s widow expressed her concern about the protection requested by Councilor Alvarado after the discovery of her husband’s body, which could be interpreted as an attempt to protect against the research.

Furthermore, the testimony of Homero Gómez’s widow highlights the unusual circumstances surrounding the disappearance of her husband, who, despite drinking with the people who summoned him, did not show signs of severe intoxication that would justify abandoning his personal belongings. , contradicting the hypothesis of accidental drowning due to drunkenness.

This set of revelations has revived the public debate about the circumstances that led to the death of Homero Gómez and has raised questions about possible political motivations behind the tragic outcome of his environmental work in Michoacán.

Source: infobae