La Paz, Baja California Sur — A court hearing involving Fernanda Villarreal was postponed this week in La Paz as prosecutors introduced new financial evidence tied to an ongoing investigation into an alleged corruption scheme within the Baja California Sur State Housing Institute (INVI).
Authorities examining the case have already identified approximately 50 million pesos (about $2.9 million USD) in funds that investigators believe may have been diverted, according to information emerging from the legal proceedings. The funds are now under scrutiny amid allegations that they may have been used to support early political campaign activities linked to former Interior Secretary Adán Augusto López Hernández, who sought to secure the ruling MORENA party’s presidential nomination.
The hearing at the Criminal Justice Center was unable to proceed after prosecutors informed the defense that new investigative documents had been delivered only the previous morning, prompting the court to grant additional time for review.
Defense attorneys said the newly submitted material consists of more than 300 pages of complex financial records, which prosecutors intend to use to formally outline the alleged offenses under investigation.
Investigation Focuses on Financial Movements Within State Housing Agency
According to statements made outside the courthouse, Villarreal’s legal team insisted they did not request the postponement and had arrived prepared to move forward with the hearing based on the evidence previously provided.
However, the attorneys argued that the sudden introduction of a large volume of financial documentation requires thorough examination in order to ensure a proper legal defense.
They also noted that the defense has not yet been formally informed of the specific criminal acts Villarreal is being accused of, adding that access to the complete investigative file is necessary before the proceedings can continue.
Sources familiar with the investigation say prosecutors are focusing on financial transactions and transfers allegedly linked to the state housing institute, where authorities believe public funds may have been redirected through a series of financial movements.
Preliminary estimates from investigators suggest the amount under review could reach at least 50 million pesos, though the inquiry remains ongoing and no final legal determination has been issued.
Part of the investigation reportedly centers on whether some of the funds were used to support early political promotion efforts connected to López Hernández, who was widely viewed as a contender for the ruling party’s presidential nomination during the internal political process.
Villarreal Says She Is Willing to Cooperate
Speaking briefly to reporters outside the courthouse, Fernanda Villarreal said she is fully willing to cooperate with the investigation.
“We are here, as always, facing this situation head-on,” Villarreal said, emphasizing that neither she nor her legal team requested the delay.
When asked about the alleged connection between the case and political campaign financing, her attorneys declined to comment in detail, explaining that information contained in the investigative file must first be reviewed within the judicial process.
The defense also stressed that confidentiality of investigative records is protected under Mexico’s Constitution and the National Code of Criminal Procedures, a legal safeguard that applies to all individuals involved in judicial proceedings, regardless of their political or public status.
The court is expected to set a new date for the hearing as the investigation continues into what could become one of the most politically sensitive corruption cases to emerge recently in Baja California Sur.
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