By KELIN DILLON

Former director of the Mexico City Metro Florencia Serranía’s summons to appear before the Mexico City Attorney General’s Office (FGJCDMX), which surround her involvement in May 2021’s lethal Line 12 metro accident that left 26 dead and more than 100 wounded, were canceled on Sunday, July 10, with the FGJCDMX citing the reasoning as “her human rights may be violated” if she appears.

Lawyer Teófilo Benítez Grados, who represents the families of 13 of the accident’s victims, had been calling for Serranía and others allegedly involved in the Line 12 crash to stand before the capital’s Attorney General’s Office in the 14 months since the incident and was finally granted his request by a control judge on July 3.

Now the summons have been indefinitely suspended, with Agent of Public Ministry María de la Luz Alcántar justifying the decision by saying that the FGJCDMX must complete investigating the accident thoroughly in order to avoid “detriment of the rights of the victim, the defense and, of course, any person who may be summoned to broadcast an interview.”

To Benítez Grados, de la Luz Alcántar’s words avoid the principle of the request, as the FGJCDMX must hold interviews, such as Serranía’s scheduled summons, to determine whether a criminal act has occurred – without which, if a crime was in fact committed, impunity is likely. 

“Serranía has a lot to explain since at the time of the collapse she was working, not only as general director of the Metro, but also as deputy director of maintenance,” said Benítez Grados.

“I cannot believe that the Public Ministry is asking us to justify why we ask for the appearance of Florencia Serranía since it says that we are acting to the detriment of Serranía’s human rights,” continued Benítez Grados. “So I ask the Public Ministry, do the victims not have human rights? On which side is the Public Ministry, on the side of justice, or politics, or is it not bothering the friend of its boss?”

The FGJCDMX has yet to publicly comment on the issue at the time.