Man charged with homicide in deadly Mexican migrant fire

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Man charged with homicide in deadly Mexican migrant fire

A federal judge in Mexico has charged a Venezuelan migrant for his alleged role in the March blaze in a Mexican detention center that left 40 dead and dozens more wounded.

Mexico's Prosecutors' office said yesterday that a man identified as Carlos C was charged with homicide, injuries and damages caused by the fire in a migrant detention facility in Ciudad Ju rez, across the border from El Paso, Texas.

The deathliest fire in a Mexican immigration facility has been identified, with authorities identifying him along with another migrant from Venezuela.

The tragic blaze and its aftermath captured worldwide attention earlier this year as loved ones across the Hemisphere mourned and demand justice for the victims.

It has sparked debate and fierce criticism about the treatment of migrants by both Mexican President Andrs Manuel L pez Obrador and American authorities, which have repeatedly pressured the Mexican government to ward off rising arrivals of people from Latin America and the Caribbean.

On March 27, a small number of migrants being held in the detention facility started a fire in their cell, possibly to protest conditions. Security camera footage shows that their highly flammable mattresses filled the area with smoke and guards fled without unlocking their cell.

The authorities have already opened criminal proceedings against Francisco Gardu o, the head of the National Migration Institute in Mexico and another director, for illegal exercise of public service and failure to perform their duties, which resulted in the death of many migrants.

Six other immigration officers, a private security guard and a migrant were also arrested, charging them with homicide and for other injuries caused by the fire. After the fire, NMI shut down small and medium-sized detention facilities like the one in Ciudad Ju rez and began a review of conditions in larger facilities.