Bertha Olga Gómez Fong, wife of former Chihuahua governor César Duarte Jáquez, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in El Paso, Texas on March 25, according to multiple sources including La Jornada and El Financiero. Her detention relates to two active arrest warrants issued by Chihuahua state prosecutors for aggravated embezzlement and theft during Duarte’s administration from 2010 to 2016.
The Chihuahua Attorney General's Office confirmed that Gómez Fong faces charges involving misappropriation of public resources and financial crimes, linked to alleged theft of property and embezzlement. She was taken to a processing center in Texas due to a lack of valid immigration documentation, as reported by La Jornada and Lopez Doriga Digital.
Mexican authorities, specifically the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), are coordinating with U.S. counterparts to arrange a controlled deportation of Gómez Fong back to Mexico. This diplomatic and legal collaboration aims to ensure her transfer for prosecution, as detailed by La Jornada and El Financiero, though her eventual extradition remains subject to judicial decisions in the United States.
The detention intensifies the legal pressure on César Duarte’s inner circle amidst ongoing corruption investigations. It remains uncertain if Gómez Fong will be tried in the U.S. or extradited; the evolving situation will depend on the outcome of immigration and criminal proceedings in both countries. Observers will be watching for upcoming court rulings and formal requests from Mexico concerning her status.
César Duarte Jáquez
Bertha Olga Gómez Fong
Oscar Duarte
Chihuahua
El Paso
ICE
Fiscalía General de la República
United States
Mexico
