The blow was direct and decisive. A Federal Court declared former Quintana Roo Governor Roberto Borge Angulo the leader of a criminal organization, a ruling that puts him one step closer to facing up to 40 years in prison for plundering state assets. From a federal prison in Morelos, where he remains incarcerated, the former PRI governor faces charges of embezzlement, money laundering, and organized crime, after it was proven that he orchestrated the irregular sale of 22 state-owned properties, causing damage to the public treasury exceeding 900 million pesos.
From Governor to Ringleader: The Attorney General’s Office (FGR) managed to overturn a previous ruling that minimized his role as a subordinate. Now, the Xochitepec Collegiate Court of Appeals has concluded that Borge was the one who gave the orders, taking advantage of his position and access to privileged information to decide which properties to sell, to whom, and at ridiculously low prices.
Many of these properties were located in prime areas of Quintana Roo, near beaches and high-value tourist developments. Family members, former officials, and front men: The network operated with former public servants, family members, and shell companies, used as front men to acquire the properties far below their real value. Among the names that appear is that of Claudia Romanillos, former director of IPAE, now a fugitive, who allegedly signed key deeds.
It also came to light that a plot of land in Puerto Morelos was given in 2013 to Julia Abdalá Lemus, Manuel Bartlett’s partner, for zero pesos, in an area where luxury tourist resorts are now being built. He will not be released from prison. The defense sought to transfer him to a prison in Cancún, but the court denied it. The reason: high risk of flight, due to his economic power and possible support networks. Therefore, he will remain incarcerated in the federal prison of Ayala, Morelos, considered a maximum-security facility.
The situation becomes more complicated. With this legal reclassification, the law is clear: anyone who leads a criminal organization can receive up to 40 years in prison. The possibility of house arrest, which was mentioned at one point, is practically dead. In January, it will be eight years since his imprisonment, but all indications are that his final trial will take place behind bars.
The message is clear: the plundering of the state did not go unpunished… and justice, though delayed, continues to advance.
Source: qrinformativo
