According to information reported by Reforma, former Quintana Roo governor Roberto Borge Angulo was acquitted of the charge of organized crime after prosecutors from the Mexican Attorney General’s Office (FGR) failed to prove that he led a criminal network responsible for selling 18 state-owned reserve properties at allegedly undervalued prices, causing an estimated loss of 850 million pesos to public finances.
The case attracted significant attention because the properties involved were located in some of the most valuable tourist destinations in Quintana Roo.
Why Was Roberto Borge Acquitted?
Borge, who governed Quintana Roo from 2011 to 2016, was acquitted after Federal Judge Gustavo Eduardo Alonso Ortiz, acting as the trial court judge, concluded that the FGR did not sufficiently support its central accusation.
The prosecution argued that Borge led a criminal structure dedicated to selling state reserve lands below market value. However, according to the ruling, prosecutors failed to prove:
- That Borge headed a criminal organization.
- That there was a demonstrated criminal connection among the alleged participants.
- That the companies involved in the transactions were shell companies.
- That the real estate transactions constituted organized crime under the legal definition presented by the FGR.
The written acquittal was reportedly issued on June 4.
Properties at the Center of the Case
The allegations focused on 18 state reserve properties located in economically and strategically important municipalities of Quintana Roo:
- Cancún
- Cozumel
- Playa del Carmen
- Tulum
- Othón P. Blanco
According to the FGR, the properties were worth approximately 1.086 billion pesos but were sold for about 236 million pesos. This difference formed the basis of the alleged 850 million peso loss to the state treasury.
Role of Borge’s Family
The case file reportedly included information that one of the properties was purchased by María Rosa Yolanda Angulo Castilla, Borge’s mother.
However, the court determined that the prosecution failed to establish the criminal organization alleged in the indictment or the necessary criminal links between the individuals and companies involved.
The ruling highlights an important legal principle: questionable transactions or significant price differences alone are not sufficient to obtain a criminal conviction. Prosecutors must prove the specific criminal conduct, individual participation, and the existence of the alleged criminal structure.
What Could the FGR Not Prove?
The central issue in the ruling was the failure to establish the charge of organized crime.
According to the court, the FGR did not demonstrate that the individuals involved operated as members of a criminal organization directed by Borge. Prosecutors also failed to prove that the companies participating in the transactions were front companies.
The decision does not necessarily mean that the property sales were free from controversy. Rather, the judge concluded that the evidence presented did not meet the legal standard required to convict someone of organized crime.
Will Roberto Borge Be Released?
Not at this time.
The acquittal applies only to the organized crime charge. Borge still faces a separate legal proceeding for alleged money laundering.
According to available information, he remains under legal custody through house arrest at a residence in the metropolitan area of the State of Mexico near Mexico City.
As a result, the ruling does not end all criminal proceedings involving the former governor; it only removes, for now, the organized crime accusation within this specific case.
Source: elimparcial
