Ex-Vice Admiral Manuel Farías Files Amparo Over Legal Process Delay
The former official challenges judicial inaction regarding his ongoing fiscal fuel theft case.
1New Legal Challenge Filed
Manuel Roberto Farías Laguna, a former vice admiral currently detained at the Altiplano prison, has filed a new amparo petition. He claims a federal judge failed to act on his request to dismiss the criminal proceedings against him. This legal maneuver seeks to force judicial movement in his ongoing case.
2Fiscal Fuel Theft Allegations
The former official is accused of leading a fiscal fuel theft network, known locally as huachicol fiscal, within the Mexican Navy. Since September 2025, he has remained in custody under the criminal case number 325/2025. The Attorney General's Office, or FGR, initiated these charges related to organized crime and hydrocarbon offenses.
3Procedural Omission Claimed
Farías Laguna argues that on October 22, he formally requested a federal judge to dismiss his criminal case. Under Article 327 of the National Code of Criminal Procedures, such a request requires a hearing within twenty-four hours. The defense contends that the judge has failed to schedule this mandatory legal proceeding.
4Judicial Admission of Amparo
The Third District Court in Penal Matters has officially admitted the amparo demand for processing. While the court accepted the filing, it did not grant a provisional suspension of the case because the defense did not request one. The judge is now reviewing the claim regarding the alleged procedural omission by authorities.
5High-Profile Family Connections
The case has drawn attention due to the defendant's familial ties to high-ranking officials. Manuel Roberto is the political nephew of José Rafael Ojeda Durán, the former Secretary of the Navy. These connections have intensified public scrutiny surrounding the internal investigation into the alleged criminal network operating within the maritime institution.
6Legal Framework for Dismissal
The defense relies on specific provisions of the National Code of Criminal Procedures to seek the case's termination. By invoking the right to request a dismissal, they aim to challenge the validity of the FGR's ongoing prosecution. The court must now determine if the judge's failure to schedule a hearing constitutes a violation.
7Context of Fuel Crimes
Fiscal fuel theft involves the illicit manipulation of hydrocarbon taxes and distribution networks to defraud the state. These activities often involve complex logistics and internal collusion, making them a priority for federal prosecutors. The detention of a high-ranking naval officer underscores the severity of the government's crackdown on such operations.
8Implications for the Case
This amparo represents a tactical effort by the defense to stall or dismiss the prosecution's momentum. If the court rules in favor of the former vice admiral, it could lead to a significant shift in the status of the 325/2025 case. Observers are watching to see how the judiciary handles this procedural dispute.