Michoacán Update

A handful of the officials arrested in the big anti-corruption sweep in Michoacán last May have been released, while another handful have been convicted and sentenced. The tally thus far is as follows: of the 31 officials arrested, twelve have been released without charges (and only eight months after they were originally arrested!), ten have been sentenced, and nine remain in limbo (I repeat: and only eight months after they were originally arrested!).

Both the convictions and the releases were announced the same day, which created an amusing contrast in emphasis from different papers: the headline to the El Universal story read, "Jail sentences for 10 ex-officials", while the Excélsior headline was, "Michoacanazo loses strength; 12 are exonerated".