Transport Leader Accuses Authorities of Evading Responsibility Over Extortion at Highway Checkpoints
The delegate of the National Confederation of Mexican Transporters (Conatram), Édgar Olivas Balderrama, accused authorities of “washing their hands” and avoiding responsibility in the face of the wave of extortion affecting freight transportation at highway checkpoints.
The union leader reported a series of abuses allegedly committed by agents of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) during inspections set up along the route from Chihuahua to Ciudad Juárez.
He accused authorities of attempting to extort freight transportation companies by fabricating offenses outside their jurisdiction and subsequently demanding money in exchange for releasing the vehicles.
“They are looking for money and to cause trouble,” the transport leader said.
He mentioned that although these abuses occur widely throughout much of the country, in Chihuahua they are particularly present along the highway connecting the state capital with Ciudad Juárez.
He added that checkpoints are also installed along state highways.
“FGR agents fabricate offenses and demand money to release vehicles.”
— Édgar Olivas, Conatram Delegate
He explained that although the sector holds monthly dialogue meetings with different levels of government, where these incidents are reported, authorities always evade responsibility. “They always wash their hands of it; it is never them, nobody is responsible, but the checkpoints are there,” he lamented.
He questioned the effectiveness of these meetings given the lack of results.
“It is useless to attend meetings where authorities never provide a solution to the problems,” he stated.
He also explained that when they are confronted about the issue, authorities adopt an offended attitude.
The mayor of Delicias, Jesús Valenciano García, recently accused personnel from the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) of causing greater problems at highway checkpoints than those attributed to the Attorney General’s Office (FGR).
He acknowledged that he has been unable to establish contact with the agency’s commanders to address complaints regarding alleged extortion, so he would turn to local lawmakers from the region to intervene at these checkpoints.
He explained that discussions are already underway with FGR officials to address complaints that have arisen regarding their inspection points, but stated that the problem has worsened due to SSPC personnel, with whose commanders, he said, he has been unable to establish communication.
Source: eldiariodechihuahua
