### Saxophonist María Elena Ríos Denounces Release of Her Aggressor: “Corruption Won,” She Claims
On August 14, 2024, saxophonist María Elena Ríos Ortiz publicly condemned Judge José Gabriel Ramírez Montaño’s decision to release Juan Antonio Vera Carrizal, the alleged mastermind behind the acid attack against her. Vera Carrizal, a former local deputy in Oaxaca from the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), was freed promptly following the judge’s ruling.
Ríos Ortiz took to social media to decry the decision, stating, “Corruption has won. Juan Antonio Vera Carrizal is free. It took this corrupt judge merely 20 minutes to decide. This is Oaxaca. This is Mexico. This is the impunity faced by women fighting for justice.”
The 32-year-old mixteca activist accused Judge Ramírez Montaño of making a deal with Berenice Ramírez Jiménez, President of the Superior Court of Justice in Oaxaca, claiming that corruption influenced the outcome.
The detailed justification provided by Judge Ramírez Montaño stated, “With the evidence provided, the presumption of innocence for the accused was not nullified, leading to the absolution of Juan Antonio Vera Carrizal from attempted femicide charges against M.E.R.O. Consequently, he is immediately released, and all precautionary measures, including asset freezes, are revoked.”
In a video statement, Ríos Ortiz recounted encountering multiple hurdles throughout the judicial process. She provided evidence that her ex-partner had orchestrated the acid attack with the intent to kill her.
“He’s responsible. He’s a femicide,” Ríos Ortiz declared, additionally indicting the Oaxaca government and specifically Governor Salomón Jara Cruz for potentially enabling her aggressor’s release and holding them accountable for any subsequent harm to her or her family.
The attack occurred in September 2019 in Huajuapan, Oaxaca. At the time, the young saxophonist was 26 and suffered severe injuries, including the loss of an eye and extensive skin graft surgeries for burns that covered 90% of her body.
Three individuals have been arrested for physically carrying out the attack, and they face potential prison sentences ranging from 30 to 40 years. These men confessed to the assault in exchange for 30,000 pesos and identified Vera Carrizal and his associates as the intellectual authors.
### Secondary Article: Judge Orders Continued Imprisonment for Alleged Acid Attack Mastermind
On January 25, 2023, Judge Martha Santiago Sánchez annulled a previous ruling favoring Juan Antonio Vera Carrizal, ensuring his continued imprisonment. Vera Carrizal, accused of masterminding the acid attack on saxophonist María Elena Ríos Ortiz, was initially set to be placed under house arrest.
Judge Sánchez reinstated preventative detention, affirming that Vera Carrizal will remain incarcerated at the San Francisco Tanivet Male Penitentiary in Tlacolula de Matamoros. The decision followed an appeal to prevent potential escape and further endangerment of the victim’s safety.
Governor Salomón Jara Cruz emphasized the need for revisiting the judge’s original decision and reinforced Vera Carrizal’s prolonged detention, thus averting a judicial defiance scenario. Assistant Geovany Vásquez Sagrero articulated a procedural halt on the house arrest ruling, marking a vigilant move toward ensuring justice.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Governor Jara Cruz also expressed strong opposition to Vera Carrizal’s parole-like arrangement, underscoring the gravity of attempted femicide charges.
In a previous update on January 21, 2023, María Elena Ríos had denounced Vera Carrizal’s initial release, adding a firm voice to the call for revisiting the judicial actions under scrutiny.
The case remains a poignant example of the ongoing battle against gender violence and corruption in the judicial system, with significant public and governmental attention focused on achieving justice for María Elena Ríos.