After hitting his head hard against the ground while resisting an arrest and struggling with Progreso Municipal Police officers, Roberto Lanz’s health continues to deteriorate as he remains hospitalized in Merida.
Candy Velázquez, the wife of the man who is debating between life and death in the “Dr. Agustín O’Horán” Hospital, recalled that it was last December 6 when the 38 year old man suffered cranioencephalic traumatism, after being knocked down by agents of the Progreso Municipal Police, at the breathaliyzer checkpoint located at the exit of this port.
Roberto arrived at the place to help one of his nephews, who was apparently being detained by the police. He tried to avoid the arrest, but when police officers tried to handcuff him too, he tried to run away and one of the police officers tripped him up, and he fell to the ground hitting his head hard against the pavement.
The woman reported that her husband immediately began to bleed and a few minutes later started convulsing, but any of the four policemen on the scene did anything to help him, they just called an ambulance and waited for it to arrive to take the injured man toa hospital in the state capital.
There he underwent tests and x-rays that confirmed a fracture to the right side of his skull.
Roberto went into a coma and a week later was declared brain dead, which occurs when a person’s brain is completely and irreversibly damaged.
Candy is still outside the hospital in Merida awaiting favorable news on her husband’s health, but she pointed out that the doctors have not told her anything new and her husband could remain in the same condition for the rest of his life.
“So far I only hear serious, very serious, serious, serious, very serious, that is the only thing they know how to tell me, they do not give me any more hope for him,” she added.
Roberto’s wife assured that she has already gone to the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) to present her complaint against the actions of the municipal police of Progreso and assured that even the head of this office, Juan Manuel León León, has communicated with her to know the case in detail.
She added that her sister-in-law, Virginia Lanz, approached the head of the Progreso Municipal Police, Omar Herrera Cocom, but he had only responded that he was going to act against his officers, as determined by the FGE.
However, on Thursday, December 15th, the Municipal Police of Progreso issued a statement in which they assured that three police officers involved in the alleged aggression against Roberto Lanz were suspended from their posts.
According to the municipal authority, there are currently two investigations into the events which occurred on December 4 at a checkpoint on the Progreso-Merida exit.
The first investigation is internal by the Progreso City Hall and the second is in charge of the FGE.
In the document, the municipal authority indicated that they are committed to transparency and the implementation of human rights, as well as reiterated their collaboration with the FGE to provide elements that can clarify what happened.
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