Mexico: Fernando Balderas and Yolanda Figueroa, writers allegedly murdered between 1995 and 1997

Fernando Balderas Sanchez and Yolanda Figueroa Ojeda were a married couple of Mexican journalists who reported extensively on drug smuggling and exposed Mexican drug-related corruption (NDSN Jan. 1997; SDDT 24 Dec. 1996; The Washington Post 10 Dec. 1996). The couple and their three children aged 8, 13 and 18, were murdered on 3 or 4 December 1996 in their home at El Pedregal de San Angel, Mexico City (ibid., PEN 1998; San Antonio Express-News 7 Dec. 1996).  Balderas was 44 years old when murdered, his wife was 40 (SDDT 24 Dec. 1996). The bodies were found after police arrived at the home to search for the owner of a car that had been found abandoned with the keys in the ignition (San Antonio Express-News 7 Dec. 1996).

The only survivor was their driver, who was seriously injured during the attack (ibid.). A prosecutor for the Federal District stated that it was believed the killing was motivated by revenge, possibly for Balderas and Figueroa's writing activities; robbery was initially ruled out as a motive in the attack (ibid.; Los Angeles Times 7 Dec. 1996). A Washington Post editorial argued that this "narco-terrorist execution" "touches American interests deeply, too" and that it could not remain unsolved (The Washington Post 10 Dec. 1996; Excelsior 11 Dec. 1996).

Later, in December 1996, the investigating authorities claimed to have solved the crime by stating that the driver injured in the attack had confessed to killing the whole family with the assistance of two other household servants (Martin Hernandez and his wife, Josefina) allegedly "to avenge the rapes of two maids and to steal valuables" (The News 29 Dec. 1996; SDDT 24 Dec. 1996). The driver, Alejandro Perez de la Rosa, had been badly injured and remained unconscious in hospital for more than a month, and two days after regaining consciousness he was shown to the media, bandaged, in a prison uniform and flanked by two policemen, while  "unidentified law enforcement sources" told the local media that Balderas was under investigation for drug trafficking ties (ibid.).

Police also claimed later that Balderas sexually abused two maids, holding them as "sexual hostages" (Los Angeles Times 25 Dec. 1996). After being shown to the media and charged, Perez claimed his innocence before reporters (AP 25 Dec. 1996). However, a judge sentenced him to 118 years in prison, even though the law allows only a maximum sentence of 50 years (AP 15 May 1998). Two other former servants, Martin and Josefina Hernandez, remained wanted by Mexican police as alleged culprits of the multiple murder (ibid.).

Balderas had been a former officer of Mexico City's Judicial Police and a special advisor to Mexico City and federal prosecutors until 1994 (Los Angeles Times 7 Dec. 1996). He published the tabloid newspaper Cuarto Poder (Fourth Estate or Fourth Power) that exposed drug-related corruption (ibid.; NDSN Jan. 1997). His wife and fellow journalist, Yolanda Figueroa, had recently published a book on the Gulf Drug Cartel (Cartel del Golfo), which exposed the government's role in protecting the cartel's leader, Juan Garcia Abrego, from arrest (PEN 1998). Balderas was a chief collaborator on the book, which was launched in August 1996; the next month Balderas "was quietly charged with rape" although "for reasons authorities still cannot explain, he was never arrested" (Los Angeles Times 7 Dec. 1996; ibid. 25 Dec. 1996). Federal agents raided the launching of the book and arrested there another former federal agent who had quit his post alleging corruption in his institution, charged him with corruption and sent him to jail in Tijuana (ibid. 7 Dec. 1996).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Associated Press (AP) Online. 15 May 1998. "Mexico Chauffeur Sentenced to Jail." (NEXIS)

AP Worldstream. 25 December 1996. "A Man Linked to the Slayings...." (NEXIS)

Excelsior [Mexico City]. 11 December 1996. Jose Manuel Nava. "Fin a las recriminaciones; enfrentaremos juntos a narcos: Washington." [Internet] [Accessed 10 Sept. 1998]

Los Angeles Times. 25 December 1996. Mark Fineman. "Details Emerge in Slaying of Mexico Family; Crime: Author, Husband and Children Were Killed by Servants Avenging Sexual Abuse, Prosecutors Say." (NEXIS)

_____. 7 December 1996. Mark Fineman. "Revenge Seen as Motive in Massacre of Mexico Family; Crime: Prominent Author is Found Beaten to Death Along With Husband, 3 Children in Mexico City Home." (NEXIS)

National Drug Strategy Network (NDSN), Washington, DC. January 1997. "Mexico: Anti-Drug Journalists and 8th Drug Prosecutor Murdered." [Internet] [Accessed 10 Sept. 1998]

The News [Mexico City]. 29 December 1996. "Drug Dealers Ruled Out in Family Killing." (NEXIS)

PEN American Center, New York. 1998. "Mexico: Writers in Mexico." [Internet] [Accessed 10 Sept. 1998]

San Antonio Express-News. 7 December 1996. Philip True. "Beating Deaths of Family of 5 May be Tied to Drug Lord." (NEXIS)

San Diego Daily Transcript (SDDT)/San Diego Source. 24 December 1996. Isaac A. Levi. "Police: Servants Bludgeoned Family of Five to Death." [Internet] [Accessed 10 Sept. 1998]

The Washington Post. 10 December 1996. "On the Mexican Drug Beat." [Internet] [Accessed 10 Sept. 1998]