Mexico Requests Israel Again to Extradite Suspect in Missing Students Case

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has again requested Israel to extradite former official Tomás Zerón, accused of torturing witnesses and manipulating evidence in South America, which led to the disappearance of 43 students in southwestern Mexico in 2014. He sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking for assistance in extraditing Zerón, who was the head of the Mexican criminal investigation agency between 2014 and 2016 during a previous administration. He stated, "Israel cannot protect someone involved in torture under any circumstances," and expressed hope for support from the Jewish community in Mexico for efforts to extradite Zerón. The current Mexican government accuses Zerón of torturing witnesses and manipulating evidence, stating that he fled to Israel to escape investigation regarding his handling of the case. Zerón has previously denied those accusations. The Israeli Embassy in Mexico declined to comment on López Obrador's statements.