San Luis Potosí Congress mandates ex officio investigations for abandonment of vulnerable persons

The State Congress has approved a reform to the State Penal Code to mandate that the crime of abandoning vulnerable persons be investigated ex officio. This change ensures that the Public Ministry is obligated to act with due diligence to protect victims without requiring a formal complaint from the individual.

The reform, proposed by Deputy Jacquelinn Jáuregui Mendoza, specifically applies to cases where the victims are children, adolescents, senior citizens, or persons with disabilities. By adding article 204 TER to the Penal Code, the legislation aims to address the material impossibility some victims face when attempting to report crimes themselves.

Legislators noted that the abandonment of these groups constitutes a grave violation of human rights and a form of structural violence. The measure is intended to strengthen state intervention and prevent such conduct from remaining unpunished due to the physical, mental, or social vulnerabilities of the affected individuals.