A judge tied up by the Attorney General's Office in the case of the Mexican Swimming Federation

Author: Victor Hugo Arteaga*

The recent elections for the Federal Judicial Branch (PJF) on June 2 did not leave the most capable, honest, and trustworthy judges, ministers, and magistrates in office.

One example is Judge Gustavo Aquiles Villaseñor, who won a position as District Magistrate in the elections, but who is accused of representing a group of judges who led to the collapse of the PJF in recent years.

A victim of his own actions and a victimizer of others, Gustavo Aquiles seems afraid of making decisions in accordance with the law in hearings. He submits to his executioner, the Attorney General's Office (FGR). He demonstrates, with slow and sometimes abrupt breathing, his discomfort at being observed by the media, who were present at the hearing to witness the work of the institutions involved in this case.

His inconsistent intentions are the basis for immediate scrutiny by those who listen to him. He seems absent in his role as a judge.

This judge has been investigated, at the request of the FGR itself, by the Federal Judiciary Council (CJF) since February 2022, after exonerating Ramón Sosamontes Herreramoro, head of the Sedesol Office in the Rosario Robles Berlanga administration, in the famous La Estafa Maestra case.

Sosamontes Herreramoro was accused of possibly embezzling federal public funds in the "Master Scam."

This is highly likely due to the ongoing conflict with the Attorney General's Office, as the judge's attitude seems fearful of going against the interests of the prosecution.

Those of us who attended the hearing of Case 58/2021 at the Reclusorio Norte Courts were able to witness the attitude displayed by the Judge.

At the Tutela Hearing in the case of the president of the Mexican Swimming Federation (FMN), Kiril Todorov, even after hearing that the representative of the Prosecutor's Office acknowledged that there are receipts (electronic bank receipts) demonstrating that federal public funds amounting to several tens of millions of pesos were transferred from the FMN bank account to the then FINA (International Swimming Federation), the judge did not order the end of the investigation.

When all of us in the courtroom heard that the FGR prosecutors agreed to take the receipts that had arrived at FINA, we thought the judge would close the case at that moment.

This case has been wasting federal resources and distracting the criminal justice system for over five years. Given the overwhelming evidence of Todorov's innocence, it's hard to understand why it remains open.

While it is true that Judge Gustavo Aquiles stated in said hearing that the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Combating Corruption is responsible for proving the guilt of the accused, everything indicates that for him five years of inability of the accusers to provide evidence of guilt were not enough and he reopened the investigation for three more months, after Todorov's defense demonstrated that there were serious omissions on the part of the FGR and the UIF to advance the process fairly for the accused.

The defense also demonstrated, with facts, that the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office has also failed to follow the proper process for issuing an indictment and has failed to accept evidence of Kiril Todorov's innocence, despite its compelling nature.

Judge Gustavo Aquiles Villaseñor's possible fearful attitude toward halting a process plagued by what appear to be failures, negligence, omissions, obstructions, and unethical conduct by members of the Attorney General's Office (FGR), the UIF, and the Federal Public Ministry appears to be influenced by investigations against him by the Attorney General's Office in the Ramón Sodamontes case, which could affect his impartiality.

This was evident not only during the hearing on June 30, 2025, but also in the various hearings required by his defense that preceded the case.

During last week's hearing, the judge denied Todorov's request to screen key digital footage, which could suggest outside pressure.

Networks: @arteaganoticias