Mexico City Prosecutor apologizes to journalist Humberto Padgett

The Mexico City Prosecutor's Office (Fiscalía General de Justicia de la Ciudad de México) issued a public apology to journalist Humberto Padgett León and his family on August 21, 2026. The apology acknowledges institutional responsibility for failing to protect Padgett's personal data and for deficiencies in investigating the robbery and assault he suffered in 2017 while reporting on drug sales at Ciudad Universitaria.

The act was carried out at the Mexico City Human Rights Commission (CDHCM) to comply with Recommendation 19/2019. Omar Gutiérrez Lozano, the prosecutor's office's general legal and human rights coordinator, admitted that the institution failed to safeguard personal information, which subsequently reached individuals linked to the attacks against the journalist. He also noted that the investigations did not follow specialized protocols required for crimes committed against journalists.

The apology serves as part of the reparations and guarantees of non-repetition outlined in the human rights resolution. While the 2017 robbery led to criminal convictions for five individuals in 2018, the institutional failure regarding data privacy and specialized investigative procedures remains the focus of this formal recognition of error.