Mexico Arrests Suspected Drug Cartel Boss Linked to 2014 Disappearance of 43 Students

Mexican authorities have arrested Gildardo Lopez Astudillo, alias "El Gil," a suspected drug cartel boss allegedly linked to the disappearance of 43 college students a decade ago. Lopez Astudillo, an alleged leader of the Guerreros Unidos cartel, was arrested on Friday and is accused of being behind the disappearance and suspected murders of the students from Ayotzinapa teachers’ college in 2014.

According to a federal security source, Lopez Astudillo was detained and is facing charges of "organized crime." The source, who wished to remain anonymous, said the investigation could be expanded. Lopez Astudillo was previously arrested in September 2015 in the southern city of Taxco, Guerrero state, but was released in 2019 after a judge found the evidence against him was obtained illegally.

The 43 students disappeared in September 2014 while traveling to a political demonstration in Mexico City. Investigators believe they were kidnapped by the drug cartel in collusion with corrupt police. The exact circumstances of their disappearance are still unknown, but a truth commission set up by the government has branded the case a "state crime," saying the military shared responsibility, either directly or through negligence.

The remains of only a few of the victims have been identified. Lopez Astudillo’s arrest comes as relatives are preparing demonstrations to mark the anniversary of the students’ disappearance. The news has been met with relief and hope by family members, who have been demanding justice for years.

The case has been shrouded in controversy and has led to widespread protests and calls for accountability. The arrest of Lopez Astudillo is seen as a significant development in the investigation and a step towards bringing those responsible for the disappearance to justice.