Politics · Mexico · 2 hrs ago
Mexico’s Supreme Court to consider taking up María Elena Ríos case
Mexico’s Supreme Court will decide on Monday whether to take up five appeals linked to the case of saxophonist María Elena Ríos.
The appeals concern the 2019 acid attack on Ríos in Oaxaca, which prosecutors have described as an attempted femicide.
Former lawmaker Juan Antonio Vera Carrizal is considered the alleged mastermind, and the appeals are connected to his acquittal and proceedings involving other accused people.
In May, the court declined a request from the federal prosecutor’s office to review six appeals and sent them back to courts in Oaxaca.
Ríos sought a new request, which two justices have now proposed for the court to consider.
She hopes a review could overturn procedural benefits given to those involved, and says she has lost confidence in Oaxaca’s authorities after seven years.
The full court’s decision on Monday will determine whether it reviews the five appeals.
Mexico’s Supreme Court is set to decide on October 19 whether to take up five appeals linked to the acid attack on saxophonist María Elena Ríos Ortiz.
The appeals concern the acquittal of former lawmaker Juan Antonio Vera Carrizal and other people implicated in the attempted femicide.
Supreme Court President Hugo Aguilar Ortiz and Justice Loretta Ortiz Ahlf proposed that the court take up the cases.
Ríos is seeking to have the court revoke procedural benefits granted to those implicated.
In May, the court declined a request by the federal prosecutor’s office to review six related appeals and sent them back to courts in Oaxaca.
- Who
- María Elena Ríos Ortiz, Juan Antonio Vera Carrizal and others implicated in the attack; Supreme Court President Hugo Aguilar Ortiz and Justice Loretta Ortiz Ahlf proposed the request.
- What
- The Supreme Court will decide whether to take up five appeals related to the case.
- When
- The decision is scheduled for October 19. The article was published on October 17, 2026.
- Where
- Mexico’s Supreme Court; the appeals are currently before a federal appeals court in Oaxaca.
- Why
- Ríos wants the Supreme Court to review the case and revoke procedural benefits granted to those implicated.
María Elena Ríos Ortiz
Vera Carrizal’s defense
Review of the appeals
María Elena Ríos Ortiz
Ríos is seeking Supreme Court review and hopes for a favorable decision.
Vera Carrizal’s defense
The defense has tried twice to have her requests dismissed.
María Elena Ríos Ortiz was attacked with acid.
The Supreme Court declined the federal prosecutor’s request to take up six related appeals and sent them back to courts in Oaxaca.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to decide whether to take up five appeals related to the case.
- Appeals under consideration
- 278/2024, 279/2024, 38/2025, 55/2025 and 80/2025
- Proposed by
- Hugo Aguilar Ortiz and Loretta Ortiz Ahlf
- Attack
- Acid attack on María Elena Ríos Ortiz in 2019
- Earlier court decision
- In May, the Supreme Court declined to review six appeals
- Current court
- Second Collegiate Court in Criminal and Labor Matters of the Thirteenth Circuit
2 sources
What people are saying
The request for the Supreme Court to take up the case that was rejected in May was made by the federal prosecutor’s office. Fortunately, I was able to make a request on my own, which the president of the court (Hugo Aguilar Ortiz) and Justice Loretta (Ortiz) adopted.
I hope the decision will be favorable because after seven years since the attack, I have lost confidence in the authorities in Oaxaca.