Oaxaca judge grants house arrest to suspect in journalist attack

A judge in Oaxaca has modified the preventive detention of Esteban “N”, granting him house arrest instead of prison. The individual is accused of the attempted murder of journalist Gustavo Sánchez Cabrera in 2020.

Sánchez Cabrera, the director of La Policiaca, survived a shooting near Morro Mazatán in July 2020. He was later assassinated in June 2021 while traveling with his son. The civil organization Propuesta Cívica has criticized the judicial decision, warning that house arrest increases the risk of the suspect fleeing and poses a heightened security risk to the journalist's family.

Allegations have been made regarding political pressure on the judiciary to influence the case, though the legal proceedings regarding the 2020 attack have faced significant delays since the initial arrest warrant was issued.