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Two individuals linked to the Civil Registry of the state of Oaxaca were arrested for their alleged involvement in a network for the forgery of official documents intended for Cuban, Haitian, and Chinese migrants, local authorities reported.
The Attorney General's Office of the State of Oaxaca (FGEO) reported in a statement that both individuals “allegedly took advantage of their work situation to commit the crime of forgery and alteration of official documents”, in an operation that highlights the institutional cracks in identity and citizenship control in Mexico.
In an official bulletin published this Wednesday, the FGEO reported that it carried out an arrest warrant against two individuals for the crime of forgery and alteration of documents, in activities that would be related to the sale of false birth certificates to migrants.
"One of the individuals currently detained worked at the Civil Registry, while the other is a former employee of the same institution," the Prosecutor's Office stated.
The woman, identified as G.D.C.M., still held a position at the Civil Registry of Oaxaca, while the man, L.A.M.R., is a former employee of that office.
Both would have been part of an illegal operation from within the institution to issue fake birth certificates.
"Due to the actions taken to locate and search for the suspects, it was possible to determine their whereabouts and subsequently arrest the two individuals, who are now in the custody of the Public Ministry to address their legal situation," the statement added.
The Prosecutor's Office also indicated that these types of investigations aim to punish criminal behaviors that foster corruption and impunity.
It was explicitly stated that the FGEO "conducts effective investigations to punish criminal behaviors of any kind, in order to prevent acts of corruption and impunity."
A network that operated from within: The use of the official system
Although the statement does not mention the method of operation, local media have revealed that the defendants were generating birth certificates through the official Civil Registry system, using valid CURP and folios, which made them appear authentic to immigration and consular institutions.
These documents are said to have been sold for up to four thousand dollars to migrants, many of whom are of Cuban origin, interested in regularizing their immigration status, obtaining Mexican documents, or accessing consular benefits.
The operation was detected following an attempt by a citizen of Chinese nationality to apply for a Mexican passport from Asia, using one of these forged documents, which initiated an investigation that culminated in the arrests.
Context: Background in Chiapas and other states
The case of Oaxaca is not isolated.
Weeks earlier, the Secretariat of Foreign Relations (SRE) revealed the existence of an irregular network for issuing false Mexican birth certificates used by Cuban migrants.
The first alert arose at the Mexican Consulate in Houston, Texas, when applicants admitted to being born in Cuba and obtaining forged documents through intermediaries.
"The documents were registered in official systems and had a certified CURP, but they lacked essential elements for their legal validity," explained a source from the Mexican government.
Fraudulent records were used to carry out procedures at consulates and to simulate Mexican nationality.
Many of these documents were issued from Tapachula, Chiapas, considered a strategic city on the migratory routes from the Caribbean and Central America to the United States.
The investigations also extended to Motozintla and Comitán, resulting in the arrest of three officials in Chiapas: Artemio “N”, Juan “N”, and Jorge “N”, charged with abuse of authority and illegal access to computer systems.
Immigration implications
The phenomenon highlights an increasingly common pattern: migrants resorting to false documents to navigate legal obstacles. In the case of Cubans, false Mexican nationality can open the door to consular benefits, regularization in third countries, or even asylum requests.
Mexico, for its part, is under pressure to strengthen its verification systems and prevent its civil registries from becoming tools for international fraud.
"The SRE confirmed that it will strengthen the control and verification mechanisms in the issuance of official documents," in coordination with other federal government agencies.
Conclusion: a structural problem
The arrest of two individuals connected to the Civil Registry of Oaxaca reveals a web of corruption with international implications.
The use of official systems to issue false documents that appear valid poses a challenge to the institutional credibility of Mexico and a risk to migrants who become trapped in illegal schemes.
The case remains open, and it is not ruled out that investigations may expand to other federal entities where similar networks could be operating.
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